Further Education Further Education ContextContext

Lecture 5: Widening Access to Lecture 5: Widening Access to Further and Higher EducationFurther and Higher Education

IntroductionIntroduction

Why widening access is central to current Why widening access is central to current policy objectives in post-compulsory policy objectives in post-compulsory education and trainingeducation and training

The development of policyThe development of policy

What kinds of policies have been What kinds of policies have been implementedimplemented

Historical ContextHistorical Context

Access has a long historyAccess has a long history

The lecture focuses on the last 15 yearsThe lecture focuses on the last 15 years

This has been a period of expansion and This has been a period of expansion and structural change in FE and HEstructural change in FE and HE

FE has had an increasingly high profile during FE has had an increasingly high profile during this periodthis period

Factors Driving Widening AccessFactors Driving Widening Access

Industrial and sectoral changes Industrial and sectoral changes and restructuring and restructuring

The imperative to create a The imperative to create a ‘learning society’ ‘learning society’

An ideological commitment to An ideological commitment to ‘social inclusion’‘social inclusion’

Changing Nature of Institutional Changing Nature of Institutional FormForm

Incorporation of collegesIncorporation of colleges Creation of new universitiesCreation of new universities Increased competitionIncreased competition Expansion and increasing accessExpansion and increasing access Greater diversityGreater diversity Openness to changeOpenness to change

A Learning SocietyA Learning Society

Strengthen the economyStrengthen the economy

Increase employabilityIncrease employability

An inclusive and cohesive societyAn inclusive and cohesive society

Social InclusionSocial Inclusion

Address the problem of exclusionAddress the problem of exclusion A recurrent theme in current policyA recurrent theme in current policy Not a coherent or fixed political positionNot a coherent or fixed political position Replaces social equalityReplaces social equality Used interchangeably with widening Used interchangeably with widening

accessaccess

Teaching and Learning Towards Teaching and Learning Towards A Learning Society 1997 A Learning Society 1997

The impact on the population of the information The impact on the population of the information society (and the consequent need to train society (and the consequent need to train people in new skills) people in new skills)

The impact of globalisation (nations could not The impact of globalisation (nations could not allow their workforce skills to fall behind others)allow their workforce skills to fall behind others)

The impact of technical and scientific advance The impact of technical and scientific advance (greater complexity means better educated (greater complexity means better educated citizens are needed)citizens are needed)

Meeting the challengesMeeting the challenges

Build employabilityBuild employability

Invest in trainingInvest in training

Combat social exclusionCombat social exclusion

Move away from academic vocational divideMove away from academic vocational divide

The White Paper and Lifelong The White Paper and Lifelong LearningLearning

Established key policy themesEstablished key policy themes

Mainly concerned with economic Mainly concerned with economic imperativesimperatives

An agenda to cope with economic change An agenda to cope with economic change and/or an agenda concerned with and/or an agenda concerned with inclusion?inclusion?

Scottish PolicyScottish Policy

Two main phasesTwo main phases

Before and after devolutionBefore and after devolution

Phase 1 PapersPhase 1 Papers

Opportunity Scotland (1998)Opportunity Scotland (1998)

Opportunities and Choices (1999)Opportunities and Choices (1999)

Opportunity For Everyone (1999)Opportunity For Everyone (1999)

Opportunity For EveryoneOpportunity For Everyone

[Access][Access] requires colleges to offer a wide range of types requires colleges to offer a wide range of types and points of access, according to local circumstances and points of access, according to local circumstances and needs. Throughout Scotland there should be a and needs. Throughout Scotland there should be a network of colleges and associated facilities: outreach network of colleges and associated facilities: outreach provision, open and distance learning schemes, flexible provision, open and distance learning schemes, flexible learning, workplace or home-based learning, community-learning, workplace or home-based learning, community-based learning, joint provision by schools and colleges based learning, joint provision by schools and colleges and by colleges and employers, community-based and by colleges and employers, community-based provision and other forms of supported independent provision and other forms of supported independent learning.learning.

Other developmentsOther developments

Creation of SFEFC in 1998Creation of SFEFC in 1998

Creation of regional fora for widening Creation of regional fora for widening accessaccess

Greater inter-institutional collaborationGreater inter-institutional collaboration

Key themes in policy documentsKey themes in policy documents

Global competitionGlobal competition Technological changeTechnological change Individual responsibility for learningIndividual responsibility for learning EmployabilityEmployability Upgrading skillsUpgrading skills Flexibility and accessFlexibility and access

Lifelong Learning Papers UKLifelong Learning Papers UK

Opportunity ScotlandOpportunity Scotland

The Learning AgeThe Learning Age

Learning is for EveryoneLearning is for Everyone

Opportunity for Everyone Opportunity for Everyone

1. Launch of SUFI.  1. Launch of SUFI.  2. Develop The National Grid for Learning.2. Develop The National Grid for Learning. 3. £100m invested to fund additional 42,000 HE 3. £100m invested to fund additional 42,000 HE

and FE student places.and FE student places. 4. National system of individual learning 4. National system of individual learning

accounts (100,000 Scottish account holders).accounts (100,000 Scottish account holders). 5. Development of University of the Highlands & 5. Development of University of the Highlands &

Islands with Government support.Islands with Government support.

Opportunity for EveryoneOpportunity for Everyone

6. New Deal and New Futures to benefit 150,000 6. New Deal and New Futures to benefit 150,000 people. people.

7. 15,000 Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland.7. 15,000 Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland. 8. All 16 & 17 year olds in employment will have 8. All 16 & 17 year olds in employment will have

right to study for a level 2 qualification.right to study for a level 2 qualification. 9. Higher Still introduced and a Scottish credit 9. Higher Still introduced and a Scottish credit

and qualifications framework developed.and qualifications framework developed. 10. New strategic framework for FE to promote 10. New strategic framework for FE to promote

inter college co-operation.inter college co-operation.

The Learning AgeThe Learning Age

Expand further and higher education to Expand further and higher education to provide for an extra 500,000 placesprovide for an extra 500,000 places

Launch UFI in late 1999Launch UFI in late 1999 Individual Learning Accounts (allocating Individual Learning Accounts (allocating

£150m to 1m accounts)£150m to 1m accounts) Invest in young people so that they will Invest in young people so that they will

study beyond 16study beyond 16

The Learning AgeThe Learning Age

Double numbers of adults helped with Double numbers of adults helped with basic literacy and numeracy skillsbasic literacy and numeracy skills

Widen participationWiden participation Raise standards in teaching and learningRaise standards in teaching and learning Set and publish targetsSet and publish targets Work with business, employees and trade Work with business, employees and trade

unionsunions Build qualification frameworkBuild qualification framework

Learning is for EveryoneLearning is for Everyone

Better education and training and lifelong learning Better education and training and lifelong learning opportunities for all opportunities for all

Policies will be designed to benefit the many not the few Policies will be designed to benefit the many not the few

Standards, results and outcomes matter more than Standards, results and outcomes matter more than structures structures

Intervention will be in inverse proportion to success Intervention will be in inverse proportion to success

We shall value high standards and success for our We shall value high standards and success for our communities communities

The Welsh Office will work in partnership with all those The Welsh Office will work in partnership with all those committed to lifelong learning committed to lifelong learning

Institutional ActivityInstitutional Activity

Access coursesAccess courses Summer SchoolsSummer Schools School-FE-HE linksSchool-FE-HE links FE-HE linksFE-HE links Work based accessWork based access Community based access Community based access Flexible deliveryFlexible delivery

Types of Access InitiativeTypes of Access Initiative

In-reach provision (for example discrete courses In-reach provision (for example discrete courses such as summer schools)such as summer schools)

Out-reach provision (e.g. community based Out-reach provision (e.g. community based learning)learning)

Flexible provision (open learning, modularisation of Flexible provision (open learning, modularisation of curriculum)curriculum)

2nd Policy Phase Papers2nd Policy Phase Papers

Independent Committee of Enquiry into Student Independent Committee of Enquiry into Student FinanceFinance (Independent Enquiry into Student (Independent Enquiry into Student Finance, 2000)Finance, 2000)

Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee Enquiry into Lifelong Learning Enquiry into Lifelong Learning (ELLC, 2002). (ELLC, 2002).

Review of Higher Education (Scottish Executive, Review of Higher Education (Scottish Executive, 2003)2003)

Life Through Learning Through LifeLife Through Learning Through Life (Scottish (Scottish Executive, 2003) Executive, 2003)

Scotland: a learning nationScotland: a learning nation

Targeting resources on under-represented Targeting resources on under-represented groups in further and higher educationgroups in further and higher education

Flexible support for students in order to Flexible support for students in order to accommodate changeaccommodate change

Assistance for disadvantaged groups so Assistance for disadvantaged groups so that education is accessible to allthat education is accessible to all

Scotland: a learning nationScotland: a learning nation

Childcare support (£8 million) for FE Childcare support (£8 million) for FE studentsstudents

Means tested bursaries (claimed to aid Means tested bursaries (claimed to aid 30% of students by the Scottish Executive)30% of students by the Scottish Executive)

£10 million to support mature students£10 million to support mature students Abolition of tuition feesAbolition of tuition fees Extra £750 per head for students from poor Extra £750 per head for students from poor

backgroundsbackgrounds

Other DevelopmentsOther Developments

New credit framework SCQFNew credit framework SCQF

Greater integration of the post compulsory Greater integration of the post compulsory systemsystem

Greater diversityGreater diversity

Joint Funding Council Plan 2003-Joint Funding Council Plan 2003-20062006

the importance of accessibility the importance of accessibility the increasing complexity of patterns of the increasing complexity of patterns of

participation participation the importance of the transferability of creditthe importance of the transferability of credit the important role for FE in teaching literacy, the important role for FE in teaching literacy,

numeracy and English as a second languagenumeracy and English as a second language effective bridging between FE and HE effective bridging between FE and HE the need to embed Education Maintenance the need to embed Education Maintenance

Allowances within policiesAllowances within policies

DiscussionDiscussion

A catalyst for change?A catalyst for change? The end of elitism?The end of elitism? New patterns of inequality?New patterns of inequality? Dumbing down?Dumbing down? Too economistic?Too economistic?

Morgan-Klein, B (2003) Scottish Higher Education and the FE-HE Nexus Higher Education Quarterly 57:4