FE and skills – is the ‘UK laboratory’ open for expansive policy learning?

ABSTRACT

This article builds on the previous articles in this special issue to explore two related concepts – a ‘UK policy laboratory’ and ‘expansive policy learning’, with a specific focus on further education (FE) and skills. We argue that the potential for a UK policy laboratory in this area is based primarily on a new balance between the forces of convergence and divergence across the four countries of the UK. In this ‘goldilocks zone’ lie opportunities for policy learning. The methodology of the UK FE and Skills Inquiry, on which this article draws, attempted to model the conditions of the UK policy laboratory by involving a rich mix of social partners and highlighting the importance of national contexts and how these can inform differing approaches to common challenges. The Inquiry also identified ‘interesting practice’ that may form the basis of an initial ‘common project’ across the different systems. However, its pursuit will require shifts towards the more collaborative approach to FE and skills that characterises the three smaller countries of the UK. In this variegated political environment, we conclude by speculating on the wider conditions for the permanent development of a UK policy laboratory (or laboratories) and expansive forms of policy learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Further education
• skills
• policy learning
• UK policy laboratory
• collaboration

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ann Hodgson

Ann Hodgson is Professor of Post-Compulsory Education and Co-Director of the Centre for Post-14 Education and Work, UCL Institute of Education, London. She has experience of directing international, national and London-related projects and publishes on topics related to post-14 education policy across the UK; further education and skills, including organisation and governance; vocational education and training: curriculum and qualifications reform.

Ken Spours

Ken Spours is Professor of Post-Compulsory Education and Co-Director of the Centre for Post-14 Education and Work at UCL Institute of Education, London. Ken specialises in post-14 curriculum and qualifications, organisation and governance and further education and skills.

Jim Gallacher

Jim Gallacher is Emeritus Professor of Lifelong Learning in Glasgow Caledonian University. Current research interests include widening access to further and higher education; links between further and higher education; and the changing roles of colleges. His most recent book is New Frontiers for College Education: International Perspectives, co-edited with Fiona Reeve (Routledge 2019).

Tracy Irwin

Tracy Irwin is a lecturer in Education at Ulster University.  She has worked in higher and further education as well as with disaffected young people and those in the youth justice system and prison.  Her current role explores pedagogy and teacher education for further education and adult training in Northern Ireland.  Her research interests lie in disaffection, social exclusion and educational under-achievement.

David James

David James is Professor in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University. Research on Further Education constitutes a major segment of his work. ESRC-funded projects include Transforming Learning Cultures in Further Education (2001–2005) and currently, Processes and Practices of Governing in Further Education Colleges in the UK (2018–2021). Recent publications include a Welsh Government-commissioned report Fostering High Quality Vocational Further Education in Wales (2016).