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Models of HE/FE Mixed Economy Provision

Summary

This project, jointly commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills, the Learning and Skills Council and HEFCE, was primarily concerned with the evaluation of combinations of mixed further education (FE) and higher education (HE) provision in the following circumstances:

  • mergers of FE and HE institutions
  • transfers of FE institutions to HE status
  • mixed economy FE colleges delivering substantial levels of HE provision.

The aims of the project were as follows:-

Mergers/Transfers

  • to evaluate the effects of FE/HE mergers and transfers of FE institutions to the HE sector on the structure and organisation of the institution, including the extent to which this has aided or hindered the delivery of provision
  • to identify and explore the issues arising from FE/HE mergers and transfers of FE institutions to the HE sector, which relate to the integration and harmonisation of FE/HE processes and policies and to identify best practice.
  • to evaluate the effects of FE/HE mergers and transfers of FE institutions to the HE sector, on the scale and scope of FE and HE provision
  • to identify the barriers to safeguarding FE provision in FE/HE mergers and transfers of FE institutions to the HE sector, and to propose options for how these can be overcome.

Mixed Economy FE colleges

  • to establish and evaluate the structure and organisation of a small sample of mixed economy FE sector colleges, including the extent to which this aids or hinders the delivery of both FE and HE provision
  • to identify the issues and barriers for a small sample of mixed economy FE sector colleges, in relation to working with HEFCE and LSC funding and quality regimes, and the extent to which the colleges have integrated and harmonised FE/HE processes and policies, and to identify best practice.

The project involved the conduct of eleven case studies as follows:-

  • four HE/FE merger case studies
  • three FE to HE transfer case studies
  • four mixed economy (ME) college case studies.

The write-ups of these individual case studies do not form part of this report.

The report is available to download (PDF 462K) on the Department for Education and Skills web-site.

Last updated 6 October 2003