Higher Education Forum 2008
| Skills for Justice Higher Education Forum 6 February 2008 Second Higher Education Forum hailed a ''very informative day'' providing an ''extremely useful overview of different initiatives and projects''. |
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Although the sign-up to the Forum started slowly we eventually had 77 delegates and a range of interesting and thought-provoking speakers lined up for the Higher Education Forum at Birmingham's beautiful Botanical Gardens.
Skills for Justice CEO, Alan Woods, welcomed the audience with some well chosen remarks about how important it is that there is good two-way communication between employers and higher education institutions (HEIs) and how as the SSC Skills for Justice is in the ideal position to broker this exchange.
The Keynote speaker was Professor Deian Hopkin, Vice-Chancellor of London South Bank University who has a distinguished track record in the education and skills arena. He chairs UniversitiesUK's Skills Task Group, the 14-19 Diploma Development Partnership for Society, Health and Development, and is joint chair of the DIUS/DCSF Higher Education Engagement Board. In 2007 he was appointed Diploma Champion for HE by the Secretary of State and is a Board member of the Learning and Skills Council and of Foundation Degree Forward. Deian gave a detailed and lively exposition of the government's policy drivers for higher education including the forthcoming DIUS Higher Skills Strategy, pointing out clearly the threats and opportunities presented by the aging workforce and the necessity for HEIs to provide courses other than three-year undergraduate study. He also touched on topics such as the need for university workers themselves to keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date and gave an overview of the changing funding landscape of higher education.
After Deian, Celia Briggs gave an overview of the projects being undertaken by the three HEFCE Pathfinders - trying to bring higher education initiatives together with employers' needs, and Amanda Selvaratnam explained the opportunities available to universities through the CPD network she has pioneered. The morning was rounded off by a stimulating presentation from Alex Coleman of South Wales Police who examined the past, present and future of Police training and gave examples of how he is involving the University of Glamorgan in several initiatives.
After the lunch there were three workshops each focussed on different themes:
- Adrian Jackson led a workshop looking at Police training.
- Elaine Smith gave an overview of Skillsmark and Brian Rankin from the Forensic Science Society explained how their acceditation scheme works.
- Ruth Searle from the Youth Justice Board led a workshop on the work she has been doing with the Open University.
To round the day off, Sue Tatum from Foundation Degree Forward told delegates about recent initiatives with Foundation Degrees, and Simon Wilson of Wilson Sherriff Associates explained the Foundation Degree Gateway Project, asking any interested delegates to comment on this work.
The day was a good balance of information-giving and workshops, with plenty of time for delegates to meet old and new colleagues. There will be another Forum later in the year, and other smaller network events so keep in touch.
The slides from the day are available below:
