“Flexible pathways: part-time, adult education and life-long learning”
Speakers:
- Peter Horrocks, Vice-Chancellor, The Open University
- Martin Doel, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges
- Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive, Workers’ Educational Association
- Rt Hon Lord Willetts, Former Minister for Universities and Science
Peter Horrocks opened the presentations by discussing the decline in the numbers of part-time students, he stated the percentages of decline, noting the worsening position of students in England and attributing this to the rise in tuition fees. Mr Horrocks described the impact that the drop in part-time numbers could have on a number of government priorities such as social mobility and productivity.
Mr Horrocks went onto explain how effective credit transfer arrangements could help to improve retention and expand attainment of a higher education qualification by a wider range of students. However, he noted that for credit transfer to be truly successful it would need the backing of the full sector and a more supportive regulatory framework within English higher education. In this vein he then went onto explain how the Open University owned online learning platform FutureLearn should be expanded to provide transferable credits for each online course completed.
He closed his remarks by referring to the recent positive policy interventions by government with the extension of loans to part-time students and consultation on maintenance loans to part-time undergraduates.
Martin Doel also began his presentation by commenting on the condition of part-time learning. He raised the issue that part-time students are likely to be immediately repaying their loan whilst they are still studying, this could be a particular consideration for older learners who have additional financial responsibilities. This is compared to full time 18/19 year old students who will consider the loan as a long-term future investment and who will not of course begin to make payments whilst still studying.
Mr Doel moved onto focus on how part-time is provided for within the higher education system, commenting that these courses are often seen as additional to the core activity that institutions are created for. He argued that therefore part-time learning lends itself more towards specialist institutions. He suggested that a turnaround for part-time learning might come via the apprenticeship levy, where employers are required to take on apprentices to work and study in tandem. However he warned that this could also be a potential threat, if degree apprenticeships are seen to be sponsored degrees by employers rather than content within the study being adapted with their specific employer in mind. He argued that the interaction needs to be much more constructivist.
Finally, he concluded that partnerships between further education colleges and higher education institutions are generally very good and often longstanding. However he suggested that in those partnerships one partner is always more vulnerable. If senior leadership within a university changes then it’s possible, and has occurred, where the direction of the institution is altered, as a consequence the local colleges and students which rely on the university as a validating partner are left very exposed.