 
HEFCE November 2002/49
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| To: | Heads of HEFCE-funded higher education institutions Heads of LSC-funded colleges Partnerships for Progression business planning leads (listed at Annex C) Other organisations and individuals listed at Annex A |
| Of interest to those responsible for: | Widening participation, Learning and teaching, Strategic and corporate Planning |
| Reference: | HEFCE 2002/49 LSC Circular 02/23 |
| Publication date: | November 2002 |
| Enquiries to: | e-mail: P4P@hefce.ac.uk
or Madeleine King, LSC HEFCE regional consultants and LSC lead executive directors |
Table of contents and executive summary (read on-line)
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Report
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Annexes
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Funding template
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Contents
Executive summary
Background
Partnerships for Progression consultation
Issues raised in consultation
Funding available: call for strategic plans
European Social Fund
Action on Access
Monitoring
Evaluation and research
HEFCE’s institutional widening participation policy
LSC widening participation policy
Annexes
A Recipients of this document
B HEFCE regional consultants and LSC executive directors
C P4P: Guidance notes for strategic plans
D P4P: aims and objectives, priorities and principles
E Calculation of the targets and funding for regions
F Funding template
G P4P National Steering Group: membership
H P4P Regional monitoring groups: membership
Executive summary
Purpose
1. Last year, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) consulted on the two Councils’ proposals for a joint initiative – Partnerships for Progression (P4P) – which will address the Government’s higher education participation target (HEFCE 01/73). This document sets out how we will implement the initiative in the light of the results of that consultation.
2. This document also reports on the decisions taken with regard to HEFCE widening participation funding for 2003-06.
Key points
3. The Government has set a target that, by the year 2010, 50 per cent of those aged between 18 and 30 should have the opportunity to benefit from higher education. Having consulted with the sector, the LSC and the HEFCE have decided to implement two strands of activity under the P4P initiative. These are:
- Supporting and extending partnerships between higher and further education (HE and FE), with dedicated staff to work with schools and FE and training providers, and a programme of regionally co-ordinated activities including summer schools, mentoring and shadowing.
- A national programme of research, evaluation and dissemination.
4. The LSC does not intend to pursue separate strands to provide incentives for workplace learning and to raise quality standards, but will implement these through a combination of LSC baseline activity and an enhanced partnerships strand.
5. The HEFCE and the LSC will jointly provide a minimum of £60 million to the partnerships strand between April 2003 and March 2006. Each Council will contribute £10 million per year. We want to allow the maximum opportunity for partnerships to use funds flexibly and collaboratively, consistent with proper and secure accountability for funds. Partnerships should therefore treat the fund as a single source, with a single monitoring and accounting process, which will be routed through the HEFCE.
6. The HEFCE and the LSC have already provided funding to support the preparation of strategic plans, and we have identified a lead contact in each region who will take forward the response to this invitation (see Annex C, Table 3).
Action required
7. We invite the P4P business planning leads in each region to submit strategic plans to release these funds. Detailed guidance for preparing plans is at Annex C. Copies of strategic plans should be submitted in hard copy and via e-mail by noon on 31 January 2003.
8. Institutions and organisations which feel that they can contribute to the initiative should contact the P4P business planning leads. HEFCE regional consultants and lead LSC executive directors will be happy to support the partnering process. Their contact details are at Annex B.