Tertiary education in England: possibilities, potential & challenges for dual-sector integration

Possibilities & challenges confronting dual-sector institutions – Professor Leesa Wheelahan

England’s post-16 white paper aims for closer integration between further education colleges and universities. This is expected to: improve student opportunities by improving pathways through vocational, technical and higher education; respond more coherently to regional skills plans and encourage new qualifications reflecting the changing nature of work; reduce course duplication and develop institutional economies of scale, thereby securing a sustainable pattern of tertiary education in local areas throughout the country. By reducing polarisation between the two sectors of post-compulsory education, the government aims address the nation’s broader cultural, social and economic divisions, which often correlate with education and geography. That will, though, require a re-configuration of the relationships that have developed between further education colleges and universities. This presentation will explore the current landscape for dual-sector working, the factors that have shaped this during the 21st century to date, and what needs to change to deliver the vision identified within the 2025 white paper.

A new model for England? The potential for dual-sector integration to support pathways & reduce polarisation in tertiary education – Professor Chris Millward

England’s post-16 white paper aims for closer integration between further education colleges and universities. This is expected to: improve student opportunities by improving pathways through vocational, technical and higher education; respond more coherently to regional skills plans and encourage new qualifications reflecting the changing nature of work; reduce course duplication and develop institutional economies of scale, thereby securing a sustainable pattern of tertiary education in local areas throughout the country. By reducing polarisation between the two sectors of post-compulsory education, the government aims address the nation’s broader cultural, social and economic divisions, which often correlate with education and geography. That will, though, require a re-configuration of the relationships that have developed between further education colleges and universities. This presentation will explore the current landscape for dual-sector working, the factors that have shaped this during the 21st century to date, and what needs to change to deliver the vision identified within the 2025 white paper.

Professor Leesa Wheelahan is Professor Emerita, William G. Davis Chair in Community College Leadership, University of Toronto and Honorary Research Fellow at the Department of Education, University of Oxford. Her research interests focus on the role of theoretical knowledge in qualifications; equity and social justice in tertiary education; pathways between the sectors of tertiary education and between tertiary education and the labour market; relations between colleges and universities; and tertiary education policy. In recent years, her research has focused on baccalaureate degrees in colleges; marketisation and privatisation in vocational education and in the college sector; and the role that colleges play in society and in their communities.

Professor Chris Millward is Professor of Practice in Education Policy at the University of Birmingham and interim Director for Fair Access and Participation at the Office for Students. Chris joined the University of Birmingham in January 2022 as Professor of Practice in Education Policy, having previously served as Director for Fair Access and Participation and as Director of Policy for England’s regulatory and funding agencies. His work is focused on generating and deploying robust evidence for tertiary education policy and practice. He is particularly interested in issues of equity and inclusion across the life-course, how different educational systems influence local and national prosperity, and how they could be improved.