HEFCE to provide 105 million pound to expand employer engagement courses

27 Feb 2008

In a news article from HEFCE released on the 21 February 2008 it was reported that HEFCE will provide at least £105 million over the next three years to support the development of courses where the cost is jointly shared by the individual, the state and the employer.

Professor David Eastwood, Chief Executive of HEFCE, told the Conference of Northern Universities that HEFCE, through its support of universities and colleges, was on track to create 5,000 new places part-funded by employers by 2008-09. The target would then be raised to at least 10,000 new entrants in 2009-10 and a further 20,000 in 2010-11.

Professor Eastwood told the conference at the University of Teesside, that funding from the earmarked employer engagement stream worth at least £105 million could be used in a range of ways to help a university or college change its work with employers, including paying for new infrastructure including ICT, or training staff. In return, a provider would need to agree to achieve a significant level of new co-funding from employers.