Managing college based higher education

Defining Higher Education ‘Identity’ within a Further Education Environment. Dr Catherine Trenchfield.  South Thames College Group

Reviewing college-based HE assessment and moderation practices in response to Covid and national policy changes. University Centre South Devon

Taking Higher Education Further: LEI Thinks – March 2025 Widening Opportunity through College Based Higher Education

With economic growth and productivity topping the new government agenda, raising skill levels in Britain’s workforce is more urgent than ever. All skills from basic to graduate are important, but the 21st century’s high-value growth industries – digital technology, green skills, advanced manufacturing, life sciences – among others – depend on a strong supply of employees with higher technical skills. Critically, the number of students accessing higher technical education falls short of the country’s needs.
This paper highlights the solution to the problem: our national network of Further Education Colleges, already delivering the bulk of higher technical education in England, and which have the potential to do much more.

MEG Briefing. Progression to Higher Education: the distinctive role of FECs. February 2021

This paper briefly highlights examples of work undertaken in colleges to encourage progression to Higher Education and illustrates how FECs are distinctively equipped and placed to deliver progression opportunities to students from widening participation backgrounds.

Reforms for a ‘Revolutionary’ Post-16 White Paper  Campaign for Learning. September 2020. Julia Wright and Mark Corney (Editors)

John Widdowson Higher Technical Education: An Alternative to Full-Time Three-Year Degrees

In their own words: Further Education College managers’ perspectives on university partnerships
A snapshot from the Mixed Economy Group (MEG) illustrating college based higher
education partnership working including guidance on good practice.

Managing Higher Education

Participants in the Case Studies were chosen from a cross section of MEG members and provide exemplars of current management practice. Good practice and high quality provision is widespread across the MEG family of colleges and those featured here were not selected exclusively for the quality of their provision and delivery. Instead, they are a representative cross section of MEG members in terms of geographical location and size of HE student cohorts. Each College has adapted to its local context, environmentally, socially and economically and developed its CBHE offer and management strategies accordingly. Many face stiff competition from HEIs and neighbouring colleges. Most draw students from socially deprived areas.

Higher Apprenticeships and Degree Apprenticeships Analysis of summer 2018 survey

The paper sets out the findings from a series of interviews with MEG representatives conducted in 2018, aimed at establishing the extent of their involvement in the delivery of Degree Apprenticeships. It looks at the motivations for offering Higher and Degree Apprenticeships, the involvement of employers in both programmes, and the relationships with partner universities in the delivery of Degree Apprenticeships. Practical issues such as staff development, college organisational structures and the expectations of Degree Apprentices are also considered.

Higher Education in Further Education: Leading the Challenge

John Widdowson CBE & Madeleine King FETL Monograph 2018

‘Facing the Future: Responding to Change in College Based Higher Education’

John Widdowson CBE & Madeleine King 2017

Filling the Polytechnic size hole: the role of colleges

John Widdowson 2013

What is Higher Vocational Education and how do we define it?

Marina Parha 2013

What is Higher Vocational Education and how do we define it? ‘Inside looking out’

Dr. Sarah Shobrook 2013

Shaping the future: opportunities for HE provision in FE colleges

A report by the Mixed Economy Group of colleges and the 157 Group. 2012

Strategic Options, Operational Challenges: A study of Higher Education delivered in a Further Education setting

Madeleine King, Maldwyn Buckland, Maggie Greenwood, Simon Ives and Anne Thompson. 2010