EXPANDING HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE U.K: FROM ‘SYSTEM SLOWDOWN’ TO ‘SYSTEM ACCELERATION’



Route 4: Expanding Level 4 provision and the role of Foundation Degrees

In July 2000, HEFCE invited partnerships of higher education institutions, employers and further
education colleges to bid to develop Foundation Degrees to start in 2001/2002. It is suggested
that Foundation Degrees should be designed
“to supply highly qualified graduates to address the
shortage of people with intermediate level skills within a wide variety of professional areas
determined by employer demand”
(HEFCE 2000:2). It is intended that the Foundation Degree
will be completed in two years or an equivalent period part-time. Students will also have an
opportunity to complete an honours degree by additional study of no more than one and a third
years of full-time study or an equivalent period part-time. In the first year, the Government hopes
that 2000 students will take up these new courses.

Evidence from surveys of Modern Apprentices (Marque Associates 1999) and of sixth formers
(Hodgson & Spours 2000a) suggests that many young people would consider higher education
study if they could, at the same time, earn money. There is, therefore, enormous potential for
increased demand for higher education through part-time study at sub-degree (Level 4) and
degree level. This would seem to support the Government’s emphasis on involving employers in
the design of the Foundation Degree. However, we would argue that there is a need for
employers to be involved in more than simply the design of the degree. In addition, Government
has to provide incentives for employers to demand the degree either through financial
inducements or regulatory measures related to licence to practice. It is important that employers
actively support their workforce to undertake higher level study of this type and for many
employers this would mean a significant cultural shift.

Currently, this approach is not taking place and as a result, as higher education participation
statistics demonstrate, the vocational part-time route is not a popular one and is even in decline
relative to academic university degrees (DfEE 2000). The reason for this situation may be that
vocational degrees have taken over many of the functions of HNDs/HNCs (Young 1999) and
there may be a lack of clarity as to their value in a rapidly changing employment market.
Nevertheless, the National Skills Task Force sees the development of Level 4 provision as
completing a ladder of progression within the work-based route and making ‘intermediate level’
qualification more attractive (DfEE 1999g).

The Government, quite rightly, sees scope for the development of this route to higher education
and in the short term it appears to be the most likely to be able to carry us towards the new
national target for higher education participation. However, the main issue will be to reverse the
recent downward trend in HND-related qualifications and there is a debate taking place as to how
this might be brought about. Some see the main factor being the provision of opportunities to up-
grade higher qualification to full degree standard (DfEE 2000). Others see possibilities in
ensuring that the Foundation Degree is made accessible by its promotion in further colleges and
the possible remission of higher education fees (IOE 1999). In addition to these approaches, our
research suggests that the crucial issue is to secure employer recognition and active involvement
by linking the new degree to entry to certain types of skilled jobs. As we pointed out earlier in
the paper, the area of greatest expansion of part-time work-related degrees has been in
qualifications related to health care professions (HESA 1999). Those designing the Foundation
Degree would do well to learn lessons from this experience.

Route 5: Widening participation initiatives

16



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