Higher education in further education: the challenges of providing a distinctive contribution that contributes to widening participation

Abstract

This paper examines changing policy orientations to widening participation through college-based higher education in England. After more than 30 years of increasing and diversifying participation in higher education (HE) in a wide range of countries, such policy goals are coming under increasing scrutiny in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, in an age defined by austerity in public spending. The paper focuses on England, as an example of opening up access in one country, with parallels internationally such as the American Graduation Initiative in the United States. In England such policies have changed the landscape of higher education, with claims that college-based HE plays a distinctive role. The paper reviews the nature of the ‘distinctiveness’ of college-based HE, including what students report about their experience of moving into this form of higher education during the 2000s. The paper highlights the challenges under current conditions, for creating a distinctive and valued college-based higher education pathway that opens up opportunities for underserved and disadvantaged groups.

Keywords:

• HE in FE
• college-based higher education
• widening participation

Acknowledgements

This paper draws on research from a UK ESRC TLRP project entitled the FurtherHigher Project. The FurtherHigher project was funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) within its Teaching and Learning Research Programme under the title Universal Access and Dual Regimes of Further and Higher Education (RES-139–25-0245).

Notes

1. The FurtherHigher project was funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) within its Teaching and Learning Research Programme under the title Universal Access and Dual Regimes of Further and Higher Education (RES-139–25–0245).

2. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Excerpts-of-the-Presidents-remarks-in-Warren-Michigan-and-fact-sheet-on-the-American-Graduation-Initiative, accessed 20 January 2015.

3. See for example work by the Rowntree Foundation at http://www.jrf.org.uk/topic/austerity

4. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/dec/04/government-spending-department-2011-12

5. Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) are higher level vocational qualifications, which are offered by further education colleges in England, and also by some universities. HNCs take one year full-time or two years part-time to complete. HNDs take 2 years full-time or 3 years part-time to complete.

6. Further details about the project and the college-based fieldwork can be found in Bathmaker, A. M. 2009. FurtherHigher Project Working Paper 5. Fieldwork Studies: The making and shaping of student transitions in ‘dual sector’ institutions. http://www.shef.ac.uk/furtherhigher/