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[This paper] reports research findings on the [UK] government's proposal for adults aged 24 and above, who study for qualifications at level 3 and above, to make greater contributions to the costs of their learning. The government proposes to remove grant funding for these further education learners and courses. This will allow the government to focus investment on younger and lower-qualified learners who are less likely to invest in themselves. Instead, the government will provide income-contingent loans to cover the resulting upfront costs, in line with its principles of promoting fairness and personal responsibility. These 24+ Advanced Learning Loans will be made available to new learners from the 2013 to 2014 academic year, with the first full year expected to be the 2014/15 academic year. [Department for Business, Innovation and Skills] BIS carried out an impact assessment to show the economic costs and benefits of this proposal, and an equality impact assessment to look at how the proposal will affect different types of learners. This research provides a greater understanding of four specific learner groups: those aged 40+, and particularly those out of work; those with mental or physical disabilities or learning difficulties that have particular needs regarding communication and information; those seeking to take up Advanced/Higher Apprentices; and Muslim learners. This research indicated that most learner groups are unlikely to be put off by the loans proposition, provided it is communicated effectively. It also highlighted groups which are likely to face specific issues and challenges.

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This document reports on research into the relationship between education and wages and is largely based on the Labour Force Surveys (LFS) carried out in the United Kingdom (UK) between 1992 and 2000. The focus of the research is mainly on academic education and investigates the level of financial return on education and how it varies across individuals and across time. The report contains microeconometric estimates of the relationship between (log) wages and years of education. The estimates allow for: (a) the relationship to be non-linear so that the effects of higher levels of education can be separately identified from the effect of earlier years; (b) the relationship to shift over time so that estimates demonstrate how returns to education vary over time; and (c) the relationship to vary across individuals according to their differences. Separate results for men and women are presented. The report contains: a brief summary of the theoretical framework and the main methodological issues; a review of existing empirical research, including evidence from the United Kingdom (UK), the United States of America (USA), and a range of other countries; new estimates of a simple model from the LFS data that are designed to be broadly comparable with earlier research; an expansion on this model, incorporating information about qualifications obtained; and the results from the two methodologies that identify the extent to which the returns differ across individuals. The analysis broadly concludes that, despite the expansion of higher education over recent years, there is no significant trend in the average return to education, which remains high by international standards. There is a large variance in returns around the average, but the unexplained component of this variance has not changed over time. Show less

Learning Partnerships were set up across the United Kingdom (UK) in early 1999 to promote a new culture across the school, further education (FE) work-based learning, and adult and community learning sectors to rationalise the range of existing local partnership arrangements covering post-16 learning. This revised report provides interim findings of the national evaluation of Learning Partnerships in November 2000. A separate report, 'Case study findings' (indexed at TD/TNC 69.280) provides an overview of key issues associated with progress, early impact and added value of Partnership Activity. The key evaluation questions addressed by these two reports are: What is the impact and added value of Learning Partnerships? How do they add value? What are the constraints; What are their costs? What is the value for money? The findings of these two reports represent an interim phase in the national evaluation with activities completed this year being repeated (using the same case studies) in 2000/2001 and 2000/2002. The contents of this report are: Introduction; Key points; Baseline and progress reporting: key issues; Key characteristics; Headline aims; Delivery objectives; Learning Partnership fund. Included as indices are: Good practice pro-formas; Added value actions.

Other related reports are indexed at TD/TNC 68.196 and TD/TNC 69.278 and the final report is indexed at TD/TNC 75.237. Show less

York Consulting were commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to evaluate the impact of the Learning Partnerships established across the United Kingdom (UK) in early 1999. The partnerships were designed to promote a new culture of provider collaboration across the educational sectors (schools, further education, work-based learning, and adult and community learning) and to rationalise the range of existing local partnerships arrangements covering post-16 learning. This interim report provides an analysis of interim progress and early impact of Learning Partnerships as at May 2001. The report is based on a review of management information, Learning Plan Executive Summaries, national case studies and regional evaluations. The final evaluation report which will be published early in 2003. The first part of the report outlines the key findings and issues from national data and the national Learning Partnerships database developed by the research team and based on Learning Plan Executive Summaries. The second part analyses the key findings from the 20 national case studies and regional evaluation reports and the final section draws together the research findings to present conclusions and key recommendations. The findings demonstrate that although progress and impact in relation to partnership is being achieved, Learning Partnerships continue to face a number of potential constraints.

Other related reports are indexed from TD/TNC 69.278 to TD/TNC 69.280 and the final report is indexed at TD/TNC 75.237. Show less

[This report is the] UK government's response to the Wilson review of business-university engagement. [It] sets out what the government will do to build on acknowledged strengths to create the best conditions for universities and businesses to work together to create prosperity over the next decade. [It] covers government initiatives to promote employability skills, research and innovation, work placements and internships, and university-business collaboration at the local level.

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Foundation degrees (FDs) were established as a pathway for people within the workplace to build on existing expertise and continue working at the same time as studying for a higher level qualification. One of the FDs developed was in the Early Years (EY) sector. The Early Years Sector-Endorsed Foundation Degree (EYSEFD) comprises practical experience in an EY workplace, supported by a mentor, which constitutes the work-based learning (WBL) element of the course, in conjunction with academic work. This report presents the findings of a qualitative study exploring employers' and mentors' views and experiences of the EYSEFD, specifically: the nature of information employers and mentors have received about the program and their levels of satisfaction with this; how employers and mentors conceptualise their roles in relation to the EYSEFD students, particularly in relation to WBL and mentoring; the types and levels of involvement of employers and mentors with EYSEFD students, and explanatory factors for this; employer and mentor motivations for supporting the student through the EYSEFD, and feelings about their role; the logistics of accommodating an EYSEFD student in the workplace in terms of WBL, mentoring, and finances; impacts of the EYSEFD on students' work, the setting, other staff members, the EY sector as a whole and the students' future career progression; and employer and mentor views about the value of the EYSEFD to their setting, and feelings about how the experience of accommodating and mentoring an EYSEFD student could be improved. Employers experienced a range of 'de-motivators' and 'motivators' to supporting EYSEFD students. The key 'de-motivators' included: a lack of information and contact with the college about the EYSEFD and the role of employers and mentors in facilitating the WBL aspect; logistical and financial difficulties in accommodating WBL, mentoring and student attendance at college; and lack of progression opportunities within the setting. Key 'motivators' included: a strong commitment on the part of the employer to staff training; the ability to accommodate the EYSEFD logistically and financially; and confidence in the degree strengthened by good information from the college.

The report of the study of students' experiences of the EYSEFD is indexed at TD/TNC 85.381. Show less

This review aimed to systematically collect and synthesise empirical evidence related to interventions that focus on promoting employment for offenders in the UK. The review identifies gaps in knowledge and points to the priority areas for further review and future research. The key question addressed by the review is what evidence is there about the types and levels of intervention that work best to promote employment for offenders? This is separated into three sub-questions. What interventions promote employment in offender populations? What are the implementation issues for interventions aiming to promote offenders’ employment? To what degree are programs targeted according to assessment of needs? The process yielded 53 studies for in-depth review. A systematic map of the studies was produced with the majority coming from the US. Just over half of the studies specified names of programs and the majority of these were vocational programs. The review found that: good quality studies of seven intervention programs revealed that in six of these programs, offenders in the treatment group were significantly more likely to be employed at least six months after completion than those in comparison groups; generally, the programs examined by the studies provided a good range of skills relevant to the realities of the workplace; and prison work and vocational training were identified as being effective in promoting employment. Show less

This strategy sets out how the UK government and the whole education sector will work together to build on existing strengths in higher and further education, in UK schools overseas, in educational technology and products and services, and in delivering English language training. The strategy covers: (1) welcoming and supporting international students; (2) supporting transnational education (supporting British schools and colleges operating overseas, developing ‘end-to-end’ English language training, and strengthening quality assurance); (3) providing leadership in education technology (actively encouraging development of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and launching a design call, through the Technology Strategy Board, on commercialising education technology); (4) developing international relationships; and (5) building the UK brand and taking up opportunities overseas.

The strategy is accompanied by an analytical narrative that identifies a number of challenges facing the UK education sector and a one-page statistical factsheet. Show less

[This report] presents the findings of research into the prior skills and qualification levels of adults aged 19 and over on adult learner responsive (ALR) learning provision in 2010/2011. The research aimed to understand the extent to which investment in ALR learning provision is being directed toward up-skilling individuals with lower skill levels. [This report] also explores the profile of learners undertaking such courses and those undertaking their first level 2 learning, in demographics, employment status and income, and to investigate why learners take up these courses.

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The piloting of Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) initiative in 15 Local Education Authority (LEA) areas began in September 1999. The pilots, which will run for three years, are expected to test the extent to which a financial incentive improves post-16 participation, retention and achievement rates in education. This report focuses on the implementation and administration of the EMA pilot in its second year. Issues examined in this report include: the role of implementation groups; perceptions of EMA, particularly among training providers; general community awareness of the EMA initiative; the taking up of EMAs by income level, choices of curricula and education provider and the impact of EMAs on other post-Year 11 routes; mechanisms for administering EMAs; and the impact of EMAs on the attendance, retention and achievement of post-16 year old students. Show less