Further education colleges in England are a relatively small yet an important part of the HE landscape. The costs and burden of regulation, intensified competition with universities, low visibility of sub-Bachelor HE, and a range of other factors impact on the present and future of college HE. On the other hand, as outlined in the recent FE White paper, there is a steer from the government to promote higher technical education, an increased focus on FE and the current Higher Technical Qualifications reforms may present some opportunities for colleges. The pandemic is also likely to impact on college HE in the short term although it is difficult to argue against the merits of online learning.
This session will outline some of the opportunities and challenges for FE colleges in the light of recent government policies and how this may impact upon university and college relationships.
Learning outcomes: