Further education colleges are particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

Survey evidence from the National Cyber Security Centre, an arm of GCHQ, last year showed that 88 per cent of further education colleges had identified a breach or attack in the preceeding 12 months.

This compares to 92 per cent of higher education institutions, but 70 per cent of secondary schools, 41 per cent of primary schools and 39 per cent of all UK businesses.

It is believed that weak defences and the quantity of data stored makes colleges attractive to cyber-criminals. To read the article click here

FREE WEBINAR RECORDING:
Universities, sustainability and the climate emergency

Click to watch our webinar that addressed big-hitting questions like how does the cost-of-living crisis intersect with the climate emergency agenda, and how can universities ensure climate action remains a priority during a time of financial hardship?

• Chair: Professor Judith Petts, Vice-Chancellor, University of Plymouth
• Maria Rabanser, Sustainability Officer, King’s College London
• Charlotte Kelly, Policy Advisor- Innovation, CBI
• Laura Lock, President of the Cambridge Climate Society, University of Cambridge and COP 27 delegate

It was one of former universities minister David Willetts’ greatest regrets: that the 2012 fee regime in England had a huge negative impact on the number of students studying undergraduate courses part time. Tim Blackman, Vice Chancellor of The Open University, and David Latchman, Vice Chancellor of Birkbeck, University of London, call for a fresh start for part-time higher education. To read the Blog click here

Proposals for a map of skills provision to determine shortages across England have progressed, with plans for the first phase of work beginning in November.

The Department for Education last year revealed ambitions for a ‘skills taxonomy’. This would act as an algorithm to identify and map skills shortages for jobs and occupations, and develop future college courses.

Education chiefs predicted the taxonomy could play a role in developing local skills improvement plans (LSIPs). These documents would outline priority post-16 skills needed in regions or counties developed by business-led boards. To read the article click here