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)
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
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
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