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Progression agreements

Progression agreements based on shared understanding and judgement of staff in different types of institution are a key area of work for Lifelong Learning Networks (LLNs). On this page we provide some guidance of how progression agreements can work.

We do not anticipate that any two progression agreements will be the same. However, we expect LLNs to develop progression agreements that adhere to the following principles:

  • they support learners' legitimate expectation to progress from specific programmes or institutions to other programmes or institutions, and establish the commitment of institutions to meet those expectations
  • they are negotiated to make credit transfer a reality
  • they are developed on a network-wide basis, with all the institutions that form part of the LLN.

LLNs will develop mechanisms to agree and manage progression arrangements and ensure they operate across the LLN.

Further information is available in the HEFCE LLN updates.

HEFCE and LLN national forum seminar report on progression agreements and accords

The papers in this publication address some of the issues that LLNs face when establishing network-wide progression agreements. They provide a glimpse of the complexities and the progress being made.

The papers began life as presentations to a lively workshop on progression agreements convened by the LLN national forum work strand in October 2007. They are published here as a way of continuing and informing the dialogue that has been under way for some time in LLNs about the best way to secure progression.

Seminar report on progression agreements and accords

[ Adobe PDF 814K | Zipped Adobe PDF 584K ]

The role of credit transfer

It is likely that progression agreements will be underpinned by agreement on credit. In a recent presentation to HEFCE staff, Nick Harris of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) made the following points:

  • credit systems by themselves do not foster progression and cannot 'guarantee' transfer between institutions
  • infrastructure needs to be put in place to enable progression
  • credit could have a central or supporting role.

His presentation is available below.

QAA presentation to HEFCE on credit transfer

[ MS PowerPoint 61K | Zipped PowerPoint 12K ]

Further information on LLNs is available from: Vicky Waite, e-mail v.waite@hefce.ac.uk, tel 0117 931 7254, or your HEFCE regional consultant (see the HEFCE institutional teams web pages for details).

Last updated 28 June 2010