In response to the publication of the OfS regulatory framework, David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Assoiation of Colleges, said:
“The publication of the OfS regulatory framework is an important step in the reform programme this Government is making in HE and I welcome the changes made from the draft on the back of our recommendations. I remain, however, worried about the impact of this on colleges in England which provide high quality and flexible higher education to over 150,000 people.
“College HE is important because it meets the needs of different groups of students, from diverse backgrounds and ages, who are able to study locally and flexibly to fit in with work and other commitments. I know that the OfS is as keen as I am to grow that type of offer across the country; to do that we will need the OfS to share assurance from the ESFA, Ofsted and DfE rather than duplicating the regulatory burden. I am confident that the will to achieve that is there, but we need to work urgently on the details, in the interests of potential students who need a local and flexible solution.”
Ray Brogden, COO of Qualifi concurs with the comments made by Mr Hughes. We at Qualifi have qualifications that allow FE providers to offer L2 to L8 inclusive, Vocationally Related Qualifications that at levels 3 to 6 inclusive are Student Loan Company recognised and subject to eligibility, are Advanced Learner Loanable. Furthermore, as a result of our partnerships with UK Universities, final year Top Up degree and masters are available. By becoming a Qualifi approved centre, providers of education and training can extend their offer to enable their community to access HE in a flexible manner through the use of blended learning approaches to delivery while studying locally.