Further education
colleges given powers to award their own foundation degrees
DEPARTMENT FOR
INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS News Release issued by The
Government News Network on 6 May 2008
Further education
institutions in England can now apply for powers to award their
own Foundation degrees under new regulations that came into force
on 1 May.
To remain competitive in the global economy, the Government is
committed to increasing the proportion of workers with high level
skills, from the 31 per cent level already achieved to over 40 per
cent by 2020.
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is
supporting the development of new types of higher education
provision to complement traditional models because three quarters
of the 2020 workforce have already left compulsory education.
This will include more flexible courses designed and co-funded by employers.
Foundation degrees are higher education qualifications designed
in co-operation between education institutions and employers.
Courses combine academic study with workplace learning enabling
individuals to develop their careers whilst helping business to
retain talent and increase productivity
Minister of State for Further and Higher Education Bill Rammell said:
"I want to ensure that our further and higher education
systems are as flexible and responsive as possible to meet the
needs of learners and employers. This reform will allow the
leading providers of higher education in the further education
sector greater autonomy, if they can show that they have earned it.
"Foundation degrees, developed with employers, are exactly
the sort of courses which we are looking to encourage through our
recently launched High Level Skills Strategy consultation.
Colleges with the capacity and motivation to provide these
programmes should be allowed to do so.
"Foundation degrees continue to grow in popularity as both
students and employers appreciate the innovative nature of these
qualifications and research published today shows we are well on
the way towards meeting our ambition for 100,000 Foundation degree
students by 2010."
Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges Martin Doel said:
"This new power to validate their own foundation degrees
will give colleges even more flexibility to meet business needs
and build on their strong track-record of engaging with employers.
It is also an important step towards increasing access for those
who would not have traditionally entered higher education, while
expanding the availability of 'alternative' routes to
university - a third of current foundation degree students
progress to further learning, the majority on an Honours degree."
Colleges interested in obtaining powers to award Foundation
degrees must apply to the Privy Council, who will receive advice
from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills based
on an assessment of the applicant institution made by the Quality
Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Notes to Editors
* A report issued today by the Higher Education Funding Council
for England (HEFCE) entitled 'Foundation degrees: key
statistics 2001-02 to 2007-08' shows that 93 higher education
institutions and 260 further education colleges were involved with
foundation degree provision in 2005-06. Since their first year in
2001-02, the number of foundation degree students has grown from
4,300 to almost 72,000 in 2007-08. A total of 44 per cent are
taught wholly or partly in higher education institutions and 56
per cent wholly at further education colleges, The full report is
available on the HEFCE website at http://www.hefce.ac.uk
* In January 2003 The Government White Paper 'The Future of
Higher Education announced the allocation of £32m over three years
(2003 - 2006) to support the development of Foundation degrees in
key employment sectors and the creation of a national network -
Foundation Degree Forward (fdf) - to act as a centre of expertise
and to provide a validation brokering service.
* Fdf lists around 2500 different Foundation degree courses
running with 800 more in development. (Courses are listed on
their website http://www.fdf.ac.uk along with
case studies from students, employers and providers to illustrate
the range of provision).
* The High Level Skills Strategy consultation, 'Higher
Education at Work: High Skills: High Value', is running from
14 April to 7 July 2008. For more information please see the
following link: http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=365333&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False