research | FE Week

Serious about productivity? Then get serious about R&D in FE

In Canada, a CEO recently told me that for every dollar invested in research and development (R&D) in colleges, on average five come back in return. Unlike in Australia and the UK where avenues for such investment are limited, Canada seems to have gotten the memo on the value of R&D in further education. For […]

The FE Week Podcast: Reaching net zero, careers guidance and research in FE

This week Shane is joined by college principal Ian Pryce and the chief operating officer of an independent training provider, Nicki Hay, to discuss the biggest stories. How should providers respond to climate change in the run up to COP26? Is anything actually going to be done about careers guidance, even with a Skills Bill […]

FE practitioner research movement gathers pace

As one college principal puts out a call for greater support for practitioner research, moves are afoot to create a “meta network” of FE research organisations to facilitate collaborations on the ground. So what can principals do to support more research – and why does it matter? FE Week takes a look. Around 30 bodies […]

How FE colleges can encourage research

It’s time the sector took control of its own destiny, argues Ali Hadawi Over the years, my sense of frustration with how policymakers and regulatory bodies view further education colleges has only increased. It can be disheartening that the wonderful impact of FE on individuals, society and the economy is not widely acknowledged. One way […]

Government silent on adult skills behavioural research centre funding

The government is refusing to say whether more funding will be given to two “pioneering” FE research centres after their start-up grants end shortly. The Behavioural Research Centre for Adult Skills and Knowledge was given £2.9 million by the former Department for Business Innovation and Skills back in 2014, to carry out randomised control trails […]

Influential think tank calls for college-only route to replace the level 2 apprenticeship

Left-wing think tank IPPR wants the government to phase out level two apprenticeships for 16-18 year olds, and replace them with a programme only offered by colleges. Entitled ‘Earning & Learning – Making the Apprenticeship System work for 16-18 year olds’, its new report warned youth unemployment is being fuelled by “too many” 16–18 year […]