This final report by the Commission on the College of the Future sets out key areas for college reform calls for every adult to have the right to lifetime education and training, with colleges better supported to deliver this in every community across the UK.
Colleges transform lives and are at the heart of communities across the UK’s four nations. They are a fundamental piece of the education and skills system as centres of lifelong learning and as anchor institutions within their communities. Despite all of this, all too often, college resources and expertise can be poorly understood, under-utilised and insufficiently funded in relation to other parts of the education and skills system.
The Commission has set out how colleges can be supported across the four nations of the UK to deliver the lifelong learning and business support needed for people, employers and communities to survive and thrive in the future. The vision and recommendations are endorsed by leaders from across business, academia, unions, colleges, and the student body from all four nations.
The UK-wide report sets out eleven recommendations for reform and renewal of the college systems, with three key recommendations.
Key Recommendations:
- Upskilling people across the UK by making it possible for everyone to learn throughout their lives, whatever route they choose to take – with a statutory right to lifelong learning. This must be supported by (1) equity across student finance and maintenance support for further and higher education to ensure everyone can live well whilst gaining the skills they need, and (2) a statutory entitlement in each nation to all English-NI-Welsh Level 3/ Scottish Level 6 qualifications, unlocking the opportunity for more people to progress to gaining more advanced levels of vocational education and thus the skills needed for the economy of the future.
- Backing business, driving innovation and addressing skills gaps by establishing a unique service for employers at their local colleges for training and upskilling future and current employees and innovation support. The development of new ways for employers to make the education and skills system work for their needs should include sector specialist “employer hubs”.
- Creating an impactful post-16 education and skills system that addresses unproductive competition between institutions so that everyone can access high-quality education and learning that works for them. Each nation must affirm a 10-year strategy that will deliver on national priorities for the economy and society and clearly sets out the transformational role that colleges play for people, businesses, and communities.