-----Original Message-----
From: aimhigher [mailto:aimhigher@harrisoncowley.com] 
Sent: 09 September 2005 13:20
To: aimhigher
Subject: Aimhigher Practitioner Bulletin - September 2005

Welcome to the September edition of the Aimhigher practitioner bulletin, designed to provide all those working for Aimhigher with relevant programme news and details of national resources.

If you have comments or suggestions on the content of the practitioner bulletin or website, or any other communications enquiries, please contact the National Communications Resource Team (NCRT) on 0117 929 7096 or email aimhigher@harrisoncowley.com.

National Partnership Board rescheduled
The Aimhigher National Partnership Board (NPB) was due to meet on 8 September to consider the principles for the shape and funding method for Aimhigher beyond 2006. The Board’s recommendations will be influenced by the responses provided by the sector following the consultation exercise that took place earlier in the summer. The new HE and school Ministers are paying close attention to the developments taking place in Aimhigher and a Ministerial submission is expected to be presented to them in the early part of September, followed by an announcement on the principles of the programme from 2006 onwards.

The NPB meeting has been rescheduled for 29 September to allow these discussions to advance before taking options to the HEFCE Board. This means that there will be a delay in circulating information on the consultation results and funding methodology but the funders aim to release the details as soon as possible following the NPB meeting.

Student Finance events
The DfES is organising a series of regional Student Finance events which will run throughout November and early December 2005. With expert speakers on student finance from NASMA and Local Authorities, these events are designed to equip advisors and education professionals with up to date information on the student finance package of fees and financial support for students entering higher education in 2006 and beyond. Further details can be obtained by calling the events hotline on 0115 947 5666, and registration forms will be available online at https://secure.symphonyem.co.uk/studentfinance from 12 September.

The website - http://www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance - has recently gone live and provides a good source of student finance information. 

National Campaigns – website update
Information about the LSC campaigns to promote Apprenticeships and Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is now available on the practitioner website. Click on the link below for more details.
http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/practitioner/resource_material/national_campaigns.cfm 

Evaluation update
An update on Strand 4 of the national evaluation programme for Aimhigher, relating to the survey of educational providers, is now available. Click on the link below for more details.
http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/practitioner/resource_material/monitoring___evaluation/evaluation/strand_4.cfm

EKOS Consulting, who are conducting Strand 3, relating to the area studies, have provided a number of qualitative topic guides that may be useful in local evaluation work. These are available at:
http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/practitioner/resource_material/monitoring___evaluation/evaluation/interview_topic_guides.cfm 

Aimhigher resources
As detailed in the July bulletin, the DfES is currently in the process of updating Aimhigher resource materials and any outstanding orders have been put on hold until the new stock is available, expected to be mid-September.

An updated version of the Student Finance advisor pack, which contains a fact sheet, a finance booklet for students and their parents, a poster and PowerPoint slides, will be available from 3 October.

Click on the link below for details of the resources available and how to order them.
http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/practitioner/resource_material/promotional_materials/ordering_promotional_materials.cfm 

TQI website launch
The upgraded Teaching Quality Information (TQI) website (http://www.tqi.ac.uk) will be launched on 20 September by the four UK funding bodies and the NUS. The site brings together key sources of official information about the quality of higher education in UK universities and colleges and is part of an initiative to make more information available and accessible to applicants and their advisors.

The TQI website is intended to help students to compare institutions and subjects, and make an informed choice about where to study. The site also provides up to date information from students reporting on their own experiences of HEIs, using data from the 2005 National Student Survey.

Media training – repeat session
The media training course taking place in London later this month is likely to be repeated on 20 October in order to meet the demand for additional places. To reserve a place, please contact the NCRT on 0117 929 7096 or email aimhigher@harrisoncowley.com.

Current Practice Examples – website update
Summaries of the Aimhigher case studies collated by Action on Access - Making a Difference: The Impact of Aimhigher - are now available on the practitioner website, along with links to PDF versions of the complete booklets. Click on the link below for more information, or to submit a case study.
http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/practitioner/resource_material/good_practice_examples.cfm

Image library CD
The DfES has compiled a selection of generic images for use by Aimhigher practitioners, including photographs of students in various HE settings. Copies of the CD can be obtained by calling the NCRT on 0117 929 7096 or emailing aimhigher@harrisoncowley.com.