Organisations and Projects for HE in FE practitioners

This page brings together information and links to a number of organisations and projects that may be of interest to HE in FE teaching staff. We also have links to a variety of publications that may be relevant to you.

• Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA)
• The Teaching Quality Information Web site
• CETLs
• Projects relevant to HE in FE sector
• Further useful organisations and projects

Staff and Education Development Association (SEDA)

SEDA is the professional association for staff and educational developers in the UK , promoting innovation and good practice in higher education. They:

• offer a Professional Development Framework service. This is designed to support the planning, operation and recognition of professional development for staff working in higher education;
• organise conferences and events;
• produce a range of publications, including lecturers' packs. This includes a pack "Supporting HE in an FE Context". More details can be found at: http://www.seda.ac.uk/pubs/lecturerspacks.htm
• promote research and scholarship in staff and educational development through the SEDA Research Committee.

Unistats

The Unistats brings together key sources of official information about the quality of higher education in UK universities and colleges.

• Institution Information: General information about the quality and standards of the education provided by institution.
• National Student Survey: National Student Survey results for students studying each subject by institution.
• Subject Reports: Reports and information published by institution about the quality and standards of awards by subject.
• Statistics: Statistics on entry qualifications, continuation through the course, award obtained and resulting occupation.

Statistics, national student survey results and subject reports are not available for FE Colleges.

CETLs (Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning)

The CETL initiative, funded by Hefce, aims to enhance teaching and learning activity across the UK. Funded in 2005 for five years the CETLS have two main aims: to reward excellent teaching practice and to further invest in that practice. Two CETLS are directly related to HE in FE within the biosciences, the aims and objectives of these CETLs and links to their websites are available below. Further information about these CETLs is available from the Centres' CETL webpages, along with details of, and links to, CETLs of interest to the bioscience learning and teaching community.

Higher Education Learning Partnerships – HELP

The HELP CETL aims to become the national exemplar of excellence in locally-based HE in FE. CETL funding will enable HELP to build on the excellent track record of the University of Plymouth (along with its regional further education college partners) in developing successful HE in FE partnerships and significantly widening participation while simultaneously maintaining high retention levels. We will further strengthen our partnership, enhance the students' experience, support a major expansion of provision and spread excellence both across our network and more widely through collaboration with other HE in FE consortia.

Foundation Direct

Foundation Direct aims to provide enhanced campus-based and online support for the university's growing number of vocational foundation degree students. Centre tutors will provide generic skills and subject-specific guidance, careers management and Personal Development Planning. Students will learn how to manage and evaluate their studies and work-based learning and develop their professional practice. Foundation Direct will work with employers, FE college partners and professional bodies engaged with foundation degree students to ensure that curricula are developed and delivered appropriately. The CETL will research the effective support of foundation degree students and disseminate this good practice in collaboration with external partners.

Projects relevant to HE in FE sector

Flying Start Project, a NTFS project at Liverpool Hope University, is a collaborative programme to assist students entering HE from FE with writing skills

Further Organisations and Projects

• Association of Colleges
• Association of Learning Providers
• DfES Foundation Degree
• Department for Employment & Learning ( N. Ireland )
• Edexcel
• ELITE (English Land-Based Institute of Training & Education)
• Foundation Degree Forward
• Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
• Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)
• Jorum
• Landex (Land Based Colleges Aspiring to Excellence)
• Land Based Colleges National Consortium
• Learning & Skills Council
• Learning and Skills Network
• Lantra (Sector Skills Council for the Land Based Sector)
• NIACE (National Institute of Continuing Adult Education)
• QAA (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education)
• Sector Skills Development Agency
• SEMTA (Sector Skills Council for Science Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies)
• TechDis
• The Higher Education Academy

Publications of interest to HE in FE practitioners

QAA (2006) Learning from Higher Education in Further Education Colleges (2003-2005). Sharing Good Practice: Report summarising the findings of the academic reviews of subjects of directly funded and consortium funded higher education in further education colleges.

Foskett, Rosalind ( 2003 ) Employer and needs-led curriculum planning in higher education: a cross-sector case study of foundation degree development. In, British Educational Research Association Annual Conference 2003, Edinburgh, UK, 11-13 Sep 2003. Leeds, UK, Education Online, 12 pp.

Learning Skills Development Agency (2004) Getting them in: An investigation of factors affecting progression of 16-19 year olds in full-time education.

Little B, Connor H, Lebeau Y, Pierce D, Sinclair E, Thomas E and Yarrow K (2004) Vocational higher education – Does it meet employers needs? Learning Skills Development Agency.

Parry G, Davies P and Williams J (2004) Difference, diversity and distinctiveness: Higher education in the learning and skills sector, Learning Skills Development Agency.