Following the government’s much-anticipated publication of their Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper last month, media coverage largely focused on its headline proposal – the return of regular inflation-linked increases to home tuition fees and maintenance support.
Yet beneath the immediate financial soundbites lies a much broader shift in policy direction for the English higher education sector: a move towards a more collaborative, skills-focused and specialised post-16 landscape.
The White Paper sets out an ambitious reform agenda; for employers, further and higher education providers, and local government to work more closely together to deliver a cohesive and responsive education and skills system that will support wider goals of economic growth at regional and national level.
The White Paper sets out an ambitious reform agenda; for employers, further and higher education providers, and local government to work more closely together to deliver a cohesive and responsive education and skills system that will support wider goals of economic growth at regional and national level.
So, what should those of us in HE professional roles take away from what is a wide ranging and impactful strategic direction?
Quality, value and accountability are tightening
Inflationary tuition fee increases, and new maintenance support are back on the table, but they come with strings attached. Through the Office for Students’ proposed changes to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), fee increases will be legislated to align with judgements of quality assessment, rather than an automatic uplift.
For HE professionals, this puts greater focus back on quality and the TEF, and asks:
- Are we evidencing value for money effectively?
- How robust are our current data systems for progression, employability and student outcomes, and how effective are our forecasting processes?
- Do our internal quality processes align with the new performance-based environment?
Key takeaway: Institutional planning, quality assurance and compliance teams will take on extra responsibility to demonstrate quality of outcomes, not just activity.
Lifelong learning moves centre-stage
The White Paper cements lifelong learning as the organising principle for post-16 study, with the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) student finance reforms providing the supporting mechanism. The funding model, due to be released in 2027, will enable learners to build up credits across their lives, stacking modules from different providers, opening new flexible up-skill and re-skill opportunities.
For professionals working in HE, this projects a significant cultural and operational shift:
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The government’s strategic direction is very ambitious. If higher education institutions are expected to succeed in such a future, professional services will need to play a key role in its formation.
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