Higher York

Presentation to University Council

June 2006

Milestones

2001: tripartite agreement – University of York– York College– York St John College

2001: HEFCE Development Funding– £50,000 pa (January 2002 to December 2003)

2002: launch of Higher York – inc Askham Bryan College and City of York Council – statement of collaboration

2004/5: Designation as first LLN by HEFCE – £1 mill support Jan 2005 – Aug 2007

National drivers

• low participation rates in some classes and gap widening• need to facilitate progression routes• accommodating vocational qualifications

Also,

• encouraging mission diversity• promoting collaboration

‘We want everyone to benefit from higher education who has the potential to do so’ (HEFCE)

Growth in Students(FT/PT students - thousands)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Participation rates

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

I II IIIN IIIM IV V

…. regional participation

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

NE NW YH EM WM ES GL SE SW WA SC

Mature Students 1984-93

Number of mature students in higher education

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93

Year

Th

ou

san

ds

part-time full-time

Mature Students 1996-2000

Number of mature students in higher education

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Year

Th

ou

san

ds

part-time full-time

Participation in Context

Why Lifelong Learning Networks?

Context• much HE expansion will be in FE• emphasis on vocational and up-dating• taking account of regional and sub-regional agendas

Therefore, need• more sensitised student services; information, advice & guidance• credit framework to enable easier mobility • flexible delivery methods – e-learning, distance learning, part-time provision etc• planning in partnership

What will LLNs do?_____________________________________________

Bring greater clarity, coherence and certainty to progression opportunities: local CAT schemes; progression agreements.

Develop the curriculum as appropriate to facilitate progression

Value vocational learning outcomes and provide opportunities for vocational learners to build on earlier learning and to re-engage with learning throughout their lifetime – parity of esteem.

Higher York Executive

Higher York Board

City of York Council

Askham Bryan College

York St John College

York College

University of York

Quality, Curriculum & Progression group

Learners & Support group

Art & Design

Bus & Management

Health Sciences

Sport, Leisure

& Tourism

Marketin

g &

Co

mm

un

ication

s

Various ‘task & finish’ groups

e.g. student guide, disability management, specialist events,

staff development groups

Higher York Students Union

Archaeology & Heritage

Biosciences

Counselling

Electronics/Electrical Engineering

IT

HY Structure

LLNs – the state of play

_____________________________________________

Fully funded

- North East Higher Skills Network

- Greater Manchester Strategic Alliance

- Greater Merseyside

- Cheshire and Warrington LLN

- Higher York

- Maximised Opportunity through Vocational Education (MOVE) – East of England

LLNs – the state of play

____________________________________________

Fully Funded- Thames Gateway- Linking London- Sussex LLN- Kent and Medway- Western Vocational LLN- South West - National Arts Learning Network

Funded for Development: - 15 networks, including two national

Also funded- LLN Practitioners Group (based at York)

HY outputs (1)

Mapping existing progression routes – nine target curriculum areas

Developing new provision

Additional Student Numbers

Progression agreements

HY outputs (2)

Enhanced IAG for students and staff

Stronger and more integrated student support

Working with Aimhigher and NYBEP

Working with 14-19 curriculum and local schools

Working with employers

Practitioner network group led by HY

studyyork.com was launched in March 2006 to bring together information on studying and living in York. It provides up-to-date information for current and prospective students about HE courses available across York, and includes other sections such as: financial hel; accommodation; faith; volunteering; things to do; and safety. The website was created with the help of staff and students across Higher York.

The site is being viewed by 2,500 each month.

The new Higher York site also includes an area for all staff involved in working groups to view and share information. There is also a Business & Community section under development which will facilitate external engagement.

Higher York Targets

Schemes Students(targets)

Foundation Degrees 13 385

Undergraduate Degrees

7 775

Postgraduate Provision

2 45

Progression Routes 15 65

Access Provision 20% increase 100

Under-represented/hard to reach groups

Delivery of 3 Aimhigher strategic objectives

110

Extra Curricular Provision

5 50

Challenges for LLNs (1)

Credit Accumulation and Transfer schemes• implementation and ‘buy-in’ • turning ‘theory into practice’

Progression • defining ‘guaranteed’ - “progression accords that actually mean

something”• delivering clear, flexible & sustainable routes

Learners• listening to the student voice• ensuring access to clear information, advice & guidance• reaching new learners• creating appropriate informational materials (progression maps

etc.)

Demand• employer engagement• turning ‘need’ into ‘demand’• engagement with Sector Skills Councils

Organisational Issues• coherence with other LLNs• overcoming suspicion (building trust) within institutions• sustainability, momentum & critical mass• boundary issues: complexity of operational environment:

relationships with/to numerous cross-cutting partnerships and initiatives

Challenges for LLNs (2)

Communication• lack of understanding of different qualifications and levels• branding, image and philosophy

Management• information and meeting overload• delivering student number growth

HEFCE• ‘Balancing HEFCE short-term need outputs against objectives

that will take time to achieve• evaluation criteria/accountability burden• Sustainability, ie ‘durability of the offer’

Challenges for LLNs (3)

Making Higher York Work (1)

positives:

• ‘buy in’ from 4 partner institutions, City Council and local/regional stakeholders• institutional leadership commitment• strong support from HEFCE as a pilot LLN• complementarity of providers and offerings

Making Higher York Work (2)

challenges:

• building support across institutions• construction of CAT and progression schemes• engagement of key stakeholders (inc RES, SEA/SRIP, LSP, LAA)• linking various widening participation initiatives• understanding the market

Making Higher York Work

Some key sectors

•Heritage and Culture

•Tourism and hospitality

•Digital

•STEM

•Diversifying land-based industry

•ICT

•Bioscience

•Food and drink

•Health and social care

•Childcare

•Rail industry

•Engineering/Manufacture

•Construction

•Retail, distribution and transport

•Voluntary sector

Focusing on?

• Science City

• Rural Regeneration & Diversification

• Health and Lifestyle

• Creative Industries

Whilst recognising…

‘…institutional collaboration (mutual planning and delivery) is a much messier and more contingent experience than any of the models suggest. It’s often fragile and irrational. It’s also increasingly important to the health of both individual HEIs and the sector as a whole, which is why we mustn’t give up in the face of messiness, contingency, fragility and irrationality.’

Professor Sir David Watson (2002)‘Drift and Mastery: Reflections on Collaboration in UK Higher Education’ CADISE conference

www.higheryork.org

www.studyyork.com