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2 April 2004

HEFCE announces new foundation degree places and development funds

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) announced today (2 April 2004) the allocation of almost 9,000 full-time equivalent student places, and £5.6 million in development funding for foundation degrees starting in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Details are given in HEFCE 2004/15. The £5.6 million will contribute towards the cost to institutions of developing new foundation degree programmes.

Foundation degrees are vocational qualifications that aim to give people the technical and professional skills that are in demand from employers and provide more flexible and accessible ways of studying. They are designed with employers, and can be studied full time over two years, but more than half the students are studying part-time.

Following a bidding process from universities and colleges, HEFCE allocated places to 105 higher and further education institutions which undertake to:

• deliver high quality foundation degree programmes
• involve employers in the design, delivery and review of the programmes
• help to meet local, regional and/or national skills needs
• increase the number of foundation degree students overall
• widen participation by increasing the number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Liz Beaty, Director of Learning and Teaching at HEFCE, said: 'Today's announcement is an important step in increasing and widening participation in higher education, and helping to meet local, regional and national skills needs. It demonstrates the increasing collaboration between universities, colleges and local and regional partners, including employers and Regional Development Agencies, and represents a significant investment in the development of work-based learning.'

HEFCE has asked Foundation Degree Forward to work with successful institutions to support the development of their programmes.

There are 4,657 full-time places and 7,541 part-time places (4,303 full-time equivalent). Places are being delivered by higher and further education institutions as follows: