Higher Futures news digest
Week ending 21 December 2007
The Higher Futures news digest is taking a break over the festive period and will return in the new year. Season's greetings from the Higher Futures team - view our e-card online (PDF document).
Higher Futures news
- Newsletter - Winter 2007 newsletter (PDF document)
The Higher Futures Winter 2007 newsletter is now available to view and download online, with news of the wider network away day, latest staffing updates and a spotlight on some of the wider team's activities so far.
Lifelong Learning Networks
- Event - LLN National Forum Workstrand Meeting: Health and Social Care (provisional)
Tuesday 29 January 2008, York - Event - LLN National Forum Workstrand Meeting: Engineering
Wednesday 20 February 2008, Derby University - Event - LLN National Forum Workstrand Meeting: Construction
Wednesday 27 February 2008, Wolverhampton University
General news
- 14-19 Education - Diplomas to exceed three A-levels (BBC, 18 Decebmber 2007)
The new Advanced Diplomas will be worth the equivalent of more than three A-levels in university entrance points, the admissions service has decided. - 14-19 Education - Navigating the Diploma conundrum (BBC, 15 December 2007)
Opinion piece: They are "the biggest development in examinations anywhere in the world". - 14-19 Education - Diplomas pass another key milestone on road to delivering the new ground breaking qualifications (DCSF, 18 December 2007)
The value of the Government's new Diplomas as a progression route enabling pupils to get into Universities and colleges was confirmed today by both UCAS and the QCA. - Apprenticeships - Ofsted finds Young Apprenticeship programme improved (FEnews, 14 December 2007)
Inspectors say programme is successful alternative to traditional routes through Key Stage 4. - Government - Business leaders appointed to board for UK employment and skills commission (DIUS, 10 December 2007)
The Government today announced the Commissioners who will be members of the new UK Commission for Employment and Skills. They include Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council, Sir Robert Kerslake. - Higher Education - Denham defends degree funding cuts (Guardian, 13 December 2007)
The universities secretary, John Denham, will today try to counter fierce condemnation of the government's plan to cut funding for students taking second degrees. - Regional - Labour market statistics: November 2007 (Yorkshire Futures, 10 December 2007)
- Skills - The Skills Debate with Bill Rammell (Equal Works, 11 December 2007)
Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education was the guest on December's E-Works debate. - Vocational Education - The basics no longer suffice (Guardian, 18 December 2007)
Germany's vocational training scheme is so popular, it often takes only the most able students. - Widening Participation - The next steps to widening participation (DIUS, 11 December 2007)
Access conference told that the next step in widening participation in higher education (HE) would be to build stronger structural links between schools, colleges and universities through the development of HE backed trusts and academies said John Denham. - Work-based Learning - LSC figures show number of learners in key areas have significantly increased (LSC, 18 December 2007)
Official statistics released today by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) show a marked increase in participation rates for both young people and adults in Further Education and Work Based Learning.
Events and training
- Event - Widening Participation: challenging educational inequalities (Centre for Equalities and Human Rights in Education) PDF document
Monday 7 January 2008, Institute of Education, University of London - Online conference - The road to transformation in education
Four online events for educators in 2008 - Post-event - Department for Children, Schools and Families 11-19 Conferences
October and November 2007 - Training - Discovering Potential (NIACE) course
16 January 2008, BVSC, Birmingham
An effective model for practitioners supporting self-esteem and wellbeing through learning for Information, Advice and Guidance staff - Training - Vocational Learning Support Programme 2007-08 Training and Consultancy Offer
Publications
- Publication - Employment and Skills Research into Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Yorkshire and Humber (Yorkshire Futures)
- Publication - unionlearn Foundation Degrees guide
- Newsletter - The unionlearn HE bulletin: Issue 1, December 2007
- Newsletter - DIUS FE and Skills e-Newsletter
- Newsletter - ASCEND Academy for Sustainable Communities newsletter