South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS), Gloucestershire College and the University of Gloucestershire are coming together to scope the development of a new strategic partnership for higher education in the county.
Focusing on how the Colleges and the University can work together to develop stronger links between the further education and higher education sectors, the new project aims to raise the quality, range and accessibility of higher education in Gloucestershire, through a joint higher education strategy.
An initial project will review patterns of demands and access to higher education, trends in higher education policy and the requirements of employers in the county and beyond.
Stephen Marston, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire said: “This project is about providing better opportunities for higher education in Gloucestershire. With the introduction of higher fees this Autumn, this is a good time to review how we can work together to raise awareness of the benefits of higher education, and to offer a wider range of courses that are flexibly delivered to meet the needs of students.
“We believe that stronger links between further education and higher education, and a more integrated approach to the delivery of higher education, will be welcomed by many stakeholders in the county and beyond.
“Providing highly-skilled and capable graduates is an essential component of economic growth. Here in the county, the Local Enterprise Partnership and business leaders in the private and public sectors are looking for a more coherent approach to providing education, training and business support. It is right that we review with our partners what skills employers need, where the growth in high value jobs is likely to be, and how we can work together to provide the courses that will meet those needs.
“By exploring ways in which we can work more closely together, we can focus on giving more people in Gloucestershire clear pathways into higher education, with opportunities for study at times and in places that will suit their needs, leading to good qualifications that employers value.”
Kevin Hamblin, Principal of the newly-merged South Gloucestershire and Stroud College commented: “The government is supporting alliances between further education and higher education institutions to provide more flexible and perhaps cheaper degrees based within communities.
“A college can offer a different experience which is more flexibly delivered to suit the individual learners and to reflect their lifestyles. The alliance will map out how this can happen and the courses that could be offered and the location of those courses over the next 18 months. This is the first initiative that the new South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS) College has engaged in.”
Greg Smith, Principal of Gloucestershire College added: “The success of the Nexus project, a joint venture with the University of Gloucestershire, has underlined the need for flexible vocational higher education delivered in partnership by further and higher education institutions.
“This new Strategic Alliance will provide a platform for the development and delivery of flexible, relevant and accessible higher education, linking the current provision of the leading providers of further and higher education in the county.
“Most importantly, the economy of Gloucestershire can only benefit from an increased supply of vocationally trained and academically skilled graduates, who will benefit from the skills and resources of the three organisations.”
Plans for the strategic alliance will be developed by the principals and senior staff from the three organisations and will form an element of the University’s new strategic plan which is to be launched next month.
