Higher Education Admissions: Progressing the Vocational Learner

Date:Wednesday 27 February 2008

Time:09.30 - 16.00

Venue: Birkbeck College, University of London

Organised by:
The Linking London, South East, South and West London Lifelong Learning Networks.

Supported by:
Foundation Degree Forward, HEFCE and Supporting Professionalism in Admissions Programme – SPA.

Agenda

09.30 Registration, refreshments and networking

10.00 Welcome and Introduction
Beverley Woodhams, Head of Central Recruitment, University of Greenwich

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10.15 Keynote speaker
Professor John Annette, Pro Vice Master Widening Participation and Community Partnerships, Birkbeck College, University of London

Click here to download his powerpoint presentation.

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10.45 Case study: Progression agreements
Sharon Munice, ICT Senior Tutor, Lewisham College

Click here to download her powerpoint presentation.

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11.00 Case study: Progression through the system
Kevin Bryant, Project Manager, Uni4U, Kings College

Click here to download his powerpoint presentation.

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11.15 Case study: Progression
Stuart Marks, Principal Lecturer, Faculty of Computing, Information Systems & Mathematics, Kingston University

Click here to download his powerpoint presentation.

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11.30 Networking coffee break

11.45 Development session 1
A practical approach to APEL in the Admissions process
Tom Hall, Academic Developer, London South Bank University

Click here to download the key issues identified by the workshop group.

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Development session 2
Qualifications outside the UCAS tariff
Matthew Welbourn, Professional Development Manager, UCAS

Click here to download his powerpoint presentation.

Click here to download the key issues identified by the workshop group.

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Development session 3
The 14 -19 Diploma and Admissions
Delyth Chambers, Independent Consultant and Advisor to the DCSF on the engagement of Higher Education in the 14-19 reforms

Click here to download her powerpoint presentation.

Click here to download the key issues identified by the workshop group.

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Development session 4
Progressing and supporting students with a disability into vocational higher education
Jenni Dyer, Policy Director for Skill, Action on Access

Click here to download her powerpoint presentation.

Click here to download the key issues identified by the workshop group.

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Development session 5
Higher education Admissions: the need to engage with employers
Helen Conner, Associate Director, The Council for Industry and Higher Education

Click here to download her powerpoint presentation.

Click here to download the key issues identified by the workshop group.

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13.00 Networking lunch

14.00 Development sessions (repeated)

15.15 Panel session
Delyth Chambers, Independent Consultant and Advisor to the DCSF on the engagement of Higher Education in the 14-19 reforms
Janet Graham, Director, SPA
Helen Conner, Associate Director, CIHE
Sue Betts, Executive Director, Linking London Lifelong Learning Network

Click here to download the panel question and answer session.

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15.50 Closing remarks
Beverley Woodhams, Head of Central Recruitment, University of Greenwich

16.00 End of conference

Comments

Questions raised in the 14 -19 Diploma and Admissions development session included the issue of how the Diploma will be taught and the role of HE. Participants considered it important that HEIs should be involved in addressing progression to Level 4 and teaching of the diploma.

To understand the implications for HE of the introduction of the new Diplomas, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) approached all the LLNs nationally to submit proposals to investigate how best to engage HE institutions in the first five Diploma line areas. West and South London LLNs submitted a joint proposal to review the interface between the Gateway providers and HEIs for the IT Diploma line across their combined Network areas.

The South and West London LLNs are working with Local Diploma Development Partnerships (DDPs), HE/FE institutions and other interested stakeholders to look at developing new partnerships, progression routes and exploring the possibilities for curriculum development.
(Source: Higher Education Engagement with the IT Diploma, WL LLN and SL LLN January 2008)
Introduction to the new Diploma.

Feedback

Of the evaluations completed:

• 92% rated the organisation of the event either good or excellent
• 95% rated the relevance of the topics good or excellent
• 96% rated the conference overall good or excellent.

Comments on the strengths of the event included:

• High calibre of presentations and presenters
• Relevance of different sessions to vocational progression of learners
• Informal networking
• Strong sessions with little repetition yet good ‘overlap’.

Allocations of the development sessions

The allocations for the development sessions were made according to the date of the conference applications, while we tried to give delegates their first choice, some sessions were more in demand than others and we then had to give the delegates their second choice.

Venue

95% rated the venue and facilities as either good or excellent. In order to provide free places we needed to keep the expenditure to a minimum and Birkbeck, University of London – a partner institution of Linking London LLN – generously offered a conference centre in a central location that would be convenient for delegates attending from institutions throughout London. That so many of the lifts were out of order was unfortunate and we apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. However, we would like to extend our thanks to Birkbeck for providing the venue.

Future events

There were many suggestions for future events, these included:

• Overseas qualifications and direct entry to HE 2nd year
• Another session to address the 14-19 Diplomas
• Actual content of new qualifications. Subject/area specialisms.

If you would be interested in these or other future admissions events please let us know in the comments box below.