Thoughts on the Future of Higher Education in the UK: A Personal View with a Historical Context
Before the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic, there had been continued debate about the future of Higher Education (HE) in the UK. It is now accepted that the effect of the pandemic will have a long-lasting effect on HE in the UK and elsewhere. This paper addresses the changes that are currently takin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/9/474 |
| _version_ | 1797519560523382784 |
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| author | Jonathan Blackledge |
| author_facet | Jonathan Blackledge |
| author_sort | Jonathan Blackledge |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Before the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic, there had been continued debate about the future of Higher Education (HE) in the UK. It is now accepted that the effect of the pandemic will have a long-lasting effect on HE in the UK and elsewhere. This paper addresses the changes that are currently taking place, based on a strategy that aims to develop a future knowledge-based economy, following the UK governments 2019 landmark review of HE. It explores the underlying parallels between the current situation and certain historical events that catalysed the development of a new approach to HE in the past, which is very relevant today. In this context, the paper discusses why major changes in UK HE provision is now required as a response to the fact that although the cost of education is rising, employers are reporting that graduates are increasingly unprepared for the workplace. In this respect, the paper addresses a model for HE that focuses on `earn-as-you-learn’ apprenticeships and work-place-based learning. The key to this is the emphasis that the UK government is now placing on funding new `Technological Colleges’, in which students are trained by experts from the industry on a contractual basis, rather than by university academics with tenured positions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:44:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-765a858ead7944c995a343d518dff0c1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:44:30Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-765a858ead7944c995a343d518dff0c12023-11-22T12:44:44ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022021-08-0111947410.3390/educsci11090474Thoughts on the Future of Higher Education in the UK: A Personal View with a Historical ContextJonathan Blackledge0School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Technological University Dublin, D07 EWV4 Dublin, IrelandBefore the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic, there had been continued debate about the future of Higher Education (HE) in the UK. It is now accepted that the effect of the pandemic will have a long-lasting effect on HE in the UK and elsewhere. This paper addresses the changes that are currently taking place, based on a strategy that aims to develop a future knowledge-based economy, following the UK governments 2019 landmark review of HE. It explores the underlying parallels between the current situation and certain historical events that catalysed the development of a new approach to HE in the past, which is very relevant today. In this context, the paper discusses why major changes in UK HE provision is now required as a response to the fact that although the cost of education is rising, employers are reporting that graduates are increasingly unprepared for the workplace. In this respect, the paper addresses a model for HE that focuses on `earn-as-you-learn’ apprenticeships and work-place-based learning. The key to this is the emphasis that the UK government is now placing on funding new `Technological Colleges’, in which students are trained by experts from the industry on a contractual basis, rather than by university academics with tenured positions.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/9/474higher educationhistory of education in Englandapprenticeship schemesthe Triple Helix Conceptchange managementtechnological colleges |
| spellingShingle | Jonathan Blackledge Thoughts on the Future of Higher Education in the UK: A Personal View with a Historical Context Education Sciences higher education history of education in England apprenticeship schemes the Triple Helix Concept change management technological colleges |
| title | Thoughts on the Future of Higher Education in the UK: A Personal View with a Historical Context |
| title_full | Thoughts on the Future of Higher Education in the UK: A Personal View with a Historical Context |
| title_fullStr | Thoughts on the Future of Higher Education in the UK: A Personal View with a Historical Context |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thoughts on the Future of Higher Education in the UK: A Personal View with a Historical Context |
| title_short | Thoughts on the Future of Higher Education in the UK: A Personal View with a Historical Context |
| title_sort | thoughts on the future of higher education in the uk a personal view with a historical context |
| topic | higher education history of education in England apprenticeship schemes the Triple Helix Concept change management technological colleges |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/9/474 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jonathanblackledge thoughtsonthefutureofhighereducationintheukapersonalviewwithahistoricalcontext |