About this e-book

Bringing Higher Education within Reach is an innovative means of harvesting the insights and learning of the Sussex Learning Network's activity, including contributions from extensive network of LLN colleagues across the country, and national policy advisors.

Download each section:

Contents

A list of content and contributors.

Introduction

About the e-book, and a preface by Jessica Trahar, Higher Education Policy Advisor in the Widening Participation Team at HEFCE.

Section 1

Changing the curriculum: making skills, knowledge and experience count samples the SLN’s work on curriculum development and concludes by looking forward to the introduction of the 14–19 diploma.

Section 2

Progression and partnerships: finding ways forward offers a range of perspectives, from specific case studies to discussions of broader issues relating to progression into and through higher education.

Section 3

Does Information, Advice and Guidance really make a difference? includes accounts of the SLN’s IAG work in Sussex and looks ahead to “Learning Opportunities in the South East”, a new partnership between the four LLNs in the South East region.

Section 4

What can we learn from research? features accounts of several SLN-funded practitioner projects, exploring themes and issues relating to the experience of vocational learners and those who support them. Not all are academic research; some are case studies or ‘think pieces’.

Section 5

Education, training and me: what students say offers a learner perspective, with contributions from students who have taken a non-traditional route into higher level vocational learning, as well as a researcher and advisor.

Section 6

Where are the employers and what do they want? considers the pertinent and challenging field of employer engagement, sampling the work of different LLNs across the country.

Section 7

Lifelong learning networks: past, present and future?  discusses the challenges for evaluating LLNs which have been given freedom to develop plans and activities independently, and reflects on the difference made by thus far by the SLN and LLNs.

Related links

Database of SLN-funded research reports