Full article here – https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/nov/18/apprenticeships-budget-hammond-skills-shortages-brexitExtracts below.Despite the compelling picture painted in this article, Ray Brogden, COO of Qualifi points out that there is an alternative to the traditional three-year full-time degree and often very high debt associated with tuition fees of £9,250 in addition to maintenance loans. In addition to apprenticeships, including advanced, higher and degree...Read More

Jo Johnson, the higher education minister, has already set out the government’s vision for a system where students can move more easily between HE providers without losing credit for the work they have already undertaken.Now UCAS, the university admissions service, has said it too regards greater “portability of qualifications” as “vital”. A spokesman said last week...Read More

Full article here – https://www.aoc.co.uk/news/aoc-responds-dfe-consultation-the-ofs-regulatory-frameworkToday, the Department for Education has published a consultation on the OFS regulatory framework.In response, Julian Gravatt, Deputy Chief Executive at the Association of Colleges, said: “Colleges have offered affordable, local and employment-focused higher education across the country ‎for decades.  Around 150,000 students in over 200 colleges benefit from these opportunities each year....Read More

ull article here – https://www.aoc.co.uk/news/aoc-responds-higher-level-technical-education-reviewThe Department for Education has announced that it’ll be carrying out a review into higher level technical education, with a particular focus on Level 4 and 5 technical qualifications.In response, David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “This review into higher level technical education is long overdue because it...Read More

Full article here – https://www.aoc.co.uk/news/prime-minister-urged-address-under-fundingExtracts below:Principals and chairs from 141 colleges across England have written to the Prime Minister to call for extra funding to support students aged 16 to 19.In England, the current base funding level for 16 to 18-year-olds is £4,000 per year.  This decreases to £3,300 at 19-years-old.  This funding covers around 600...Read More

Jeremy Corbyn’s party manages to secure vote on proposal to increase cap on annual fees to £9,250Full article here – https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/sep/12/labour-to-force-vote-on-plan-to-increase-tuition-feesLabour is to force a parliamentary vote to scrap the government’s latest rise in university tuition fees on Wednesday in what it believes is a binding motion.Under the government’s plan, the annual tuition fee cap of...Read More