HIGHER Vocational Education (HVE) has a long history in England, with Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and Higher National Certificates (HNCs) introduced as far back as a century ago. However, despite the stated intentions of Government policy to diversify Higher Education, and the considerable work carried out to develop new higher level technical routes, researchers have discovered HVE continues to be marginalised against the bachelor-level Higher Education offered in Higher Education institutions such as universities.
Now, some of the world's leading education researchers, including Professor of Work and Learning Kevin Orr from the University of Huddersfield, have compiled and edited a book which explores new and distinctive forms of HVE across the globe and asks how the sector is changing in response to the demands of the 21st century.
Ultimately, the book promotes a critical understanding of evolving provisions of HVE, refusing assumptions that policy borrowing from apparently 'successful' countries offers a straightforward model for others to adopt.
Higher Vocational Education in England in the 2010s
The chapter entitled 'Higher Vocational Education in England in the 2010s: Positioning, Purpose, and Possibilities in a Highly Stratified, High Participation System of Higher Education' is co-written by the University's Professor Kevin Orr, Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)in the Department of Education and Community Studies with the School of Education & Professional Development and Professor Ann-Marie Bathmaker from the University of Birmingham.
The chapter considers Higher Vocational Education (HVE) in England during the 2010s, focusing on provision in Further Education colleges, especially sub-bachelor level qualifications.
Professors Orr and Bathmaker examine the different purposes ascribed to HVE by policymakers, the colleges that provide HVE, as well as students taking HVE courses, and explore how and whether HVE may contribute to opening up access to higher level education.
"In this context," said Professor Orr, "we discuss the positioning of HVE in relation to the fields of 'higher' and 'further' education in England and ask what the implications are of positioning HVE within the Further Education and skills field, compared with viewing HVE as vocational higher education, which is associated with the Higher Education field."
What has been made clear, revealed Professor Orr, is despite the stated intentions of Government policy to diversify Higher Education, and the considerable work developing new higher level technical routes, the functioning of the market promoted during the 2010s tended to marginalise anything but, full-time bachelor-level Higher Education offered in universities.
According to Professor Orr this marginalisation has subsequently now led to a significant drop in the numbers of part-time mature students taking part in any kind of Higher Education, including HVE.
"Policies that we've had in this country and elsewhere, but certainly in England," he said, "have put part-time mature students off taking part in any form of Higher Education, whether that be in colleges or elsewhere and although unintentional, have quite frankly been a policy disaster."
For this to be transformed he believes it will take a great deal of effort from policymakers and a considerable increase in funding to correct the imbalance towards vocational education demonstrated in the policies churned out over the last two decades.
In 2014, the then named Higher Education Academy (HEA) - now Advance HE - awarded Professor Orr a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship in recognition of his highly-respected research and work around vocational education.
The book will be officially launched at an online event that you can book onto by visiting the event's booking page on Eventbrite.
- To purchase Equity and Access to High Skills through Higher Vocational Education or to find out more about the Palgrave Studies in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning book series, visit the publisher's website.
