Welfare reform on the Web (June 2007): Education - UK - higher
Between a rock and a hard place: the role of HE and foundation degrees in workforce development
N. Edmond, Y. Hillier and M. Price
Education + Training, vol. 49, 2007, p. 170-181
Foundation degrees are a new two-year qualification aimed at attracting employees wishing to upgrade their qualifications and advance their careers. Foundation degrees are intended to be both vocational and academic, offering specialist technical knowledge and skills underpinned by rigorous academic learning. This paper seeks to provide an insight into the role of higher education in the development of foundation degrees, focusing on their role in workforce development in the public sector.
Delivering distance education for modern government: the F4Gov programme
J. Talbot
Education + Training, vol. 49, 2007, p. 250-260
The Foundation for Government (F4Gov) programme developed for the civil service by the University of Chester is an innovative, low-cost distance learning degree, which uses a dedicated virtual learning environment. It is intended to improve individual and hence organisational performance. This paper describes the rationale and development of the programme and identifies key issues for future evaluation in respect of employer involvement in design and delivery, the learner experience and the broader impact of the programme on the modernisation agenda.
Engaging with employers in work-based learning: a foundation degree in applied technology
R. Benefer
Education + Training, vol. 49, 2007, p. 210-217
The UK government expects higher education institutions to collaborate with employers to design vocational training courses that will produce workers with the skills that companies need. This paper describes the work of Staffordshire University in engaging with local employers and further education colleges to develop a foundation degree in applied technology. Evaluation of the case study suggests that the degree, as designed by Staffordshire University and delivered at JCB (the employer) by Burton College, is a model of good practice in employer engagement.
A work-based learning approach to developing leadership for senior health and social care professionals: a case study from Middlesex University
K. Rounce, A. Scarfe and J. Garnett
Education + Training, vol.49, 2007, p. 218-226
This paper is a case study of a complex collaboration. It explores the challenges and rewards that emerged from a partnership between the NHS and Middlesex University to design and deliver a postgraduate level programme focusing on the development of leadership practice in the health and social care sectors in London. It explores the roles of the NHS as commissioners of the work and Middlesex University as the academic accreditor of learning and provider of the masters degree.