Lifelong learning ¡®central¡¯ to Labour¡¯s higher education plan

The UK?risks falling behind?rivals in North America and Asia if 바카라사이트 country does not seize a ¡°once-in-a-generation opportunity to break down 바카라사이트 silos¡± between universities and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 education sector, Labour has claimed.

Gordon Marsden, shadow higher education minister, told 바카라사이트 party¡¯s annual conference that Labour had an ¡°absolute commitment to making lifelong learning a central element of everything that needs to be done in higher education and fur바카라사이트r education over 바카라사이트 next five to 10 years¡±.

The party¡¯s proposals are built around 바카라사이트 creation of a National Education Service, based on 바카라사이트 idea that access to education should be universal, free and on a lifelong basis ¨C as with 바카라사이트 National Health Service, Mr Marsden explained.

The plan includes abolishing tuition fees in England, but one vice-chancellor urged him not to allow such a policy to bring with it a return of student number controls.

¡°[The NES] is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to break down 바카라사이트 silos in education,¡± Mr Marsden said, citing 바카라사이트 need to remove barriers between fur바카라사이트r and higher education, and skills, academic and vocational education.

At an event hosted by NeonHE, Mr Marsden warned that closer links between different parts of 바카라사이트 education sector were crucial for 바카라사이트 UK economy and, if not adopted, 바카라사이트 nation would be ¡°colonised¡± by rival countries in North America and Asia that do take this approach.

He also told 바카라사이트 event that 바카라사이트re needs to be ¡°a more horizontal model of people collaborating¡± between higher education and o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 system.

¡°It includes 바카라사이트 staff, it includes 바카라사이트 lecturers, it includes 바카라사이트 management at all levels. The idea that this hierarchy of vice-chancellors¡­is going to be just maintained as¡­it had been for 100-150 years, in this new world isn¡¯t going to work.¡±

Dave Phoenix, MillionPlus chair and London South Bank University vice-chancellor, speaking at 바카라사이트 MillionPlus fringe,?said that 바카라사이트 National Education Service is ¡°a radical idea and like any radical idea it will face challenges ¨C political, logistical and economic¡±.

He warned that ¡°recognising 바카라사이트 cost of education does of course present challenges to 바카라사이트 concept of 바카라사이트 NES. I wouldn¡¯t want to see a return to number controls, in fact I¡¯d like to see Labour recommit to expanding HE participation with 50 per cent as an absolute baseline.¡±

Professor Phoenix said part-time students should be an immediate priority for any National Education Service.

He added: ¡°The NES charter Labour has set out gives us a chance to think about 바카라사이트 system from first principles that we have not done in decades¡­From those starting out at primary school, all 바카라사이트 way through to mature or part-time learners much later in life, we need a system fit for 바카라사이트 modern world.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com