FEASIBILITY STUDY PHASE II REPORT
APPENDIX 1
Summary of Growth Reports
1
Introduction
1.1
In the first phase of the Feasibility Study, it was reported that significant growth
could reasonably be expected in both further and higher education enrolments. It
was proposed that a merged institution could expect to target year on year
growth in further education participation of 4–5% and that there could be a
growth of 7% per annum for higher education. For higher education this equates
to an increase of approximately 200 first year students in the early years of the
combined institution. The report concluded that growth as projected could
reasonably be expected across the other market sectors, including postgraduate
and overseas students.
1.2
The report predicated these projections on an assessment of the relative
contributions of a number of growth strategies which, could be most successfully
applied by a merged institution. These strategies were as follows:i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)
viii)
to repackage existing provision to arrest decline and to make the
provision more attractive to prospective students;
to offer new provision to attract regional and national applicants;
to improve the rates of student progression from FE into higher education;
to improve retention on existing courses;
to increase overseas student recruitment;
to improve progression from local schools following years 11, 12 and 13
into both further education courses and higher education courses;
to improve the recruitment of adult students particularly into vocational
programmes and involving local employers;
to develop alternative modes including part-time, flexible curricular,
distance learning and e-learning.
1.3
The study made an assessment of the growth that could reasonably be expected
from each of these strategies and showed how the overall growth level could be
achieved. It was proposed that strategies i) and ii) would contribute 2%; strategy
iii), 1%; strategies, iv), vi), vii) and viii) 0.5% each and strategy v) 10%.
1.4
No equivalent estimates for the contributions to further education growth were
made in the Phase I Report but it is not unreasonable to consider that strategies
ii), iii), iv), vi) and vii) can each make a significant contribution to the targeted
growth of 4–5% per year. The College now applies these strategies routinely in
its annual Strategic Plans, for which annual growth targets of between 3-5% have
consistently been achieved since 1997. The experience demonstrates that
growth can be achieved by:i)
ii)
supplying new provision to meet additional demands
generating demand through new markets
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1.5
Within Phase II of the Study, a number of small working groups have been
established to test these growth projections in specific curriculum and subject
areas and to provide illustrations of the impact of the identified strategies. Each
curriculum group has addressed growth across all levels of education in that
area. A further group has considered the overall potential for further education
provision. The following were addressed:






Further Education
Creative Industries – Informatics and Art, Design & Textiles.
Informatics and Computer Applications.
Cultural Studies.
Education.
Engineering and Computer Technology.
Life Sciences and Applied Human Studies.
The conclusions are summarised below within sections dealing with each of the
strategies individually.
1.6
It was recognised within Phase II that the opportunities for new course
development in both further and higher education to address gaps in provision
must be considered strategically in terms of the resource investment required.
The lead time for the introduction of new courses will vary in direct proportion to
the additional investment and in consequence courses will have a short, medium
or long term time scale for implementation, as follows:i)
ii)
iii)
1.7
2
new courses which can be established within and between existing
curriculum areas where the required expertise and the resource is already
held within the institution;
new courses requiring an intermediate level of resource input where, for
example, the course represents an extension of an existing area of
practice;
courses in disciplines and fields of study which are new to the institution
and a significant investment will be required in order to establish their
capability to deliver to the necessary quality standards.
These illustrative exercises demonstrate that although the different strategies will
have differential impact and significance in different curriculum areas, overall a
managed programme of growth consistent with the Phase I target can be
achieved. Indeed, in some areas larger growth than that indicated might
reasonably be expected.
Growth in Further Education
2.1
As was outlined in the Phase I report, the present College’s further education
provision operates in a context in which participation, achievement and
progression of the population in the Bradford city area are consistently behind
current national averages. For example, the percentage of school leavers
achieving five or more GCEs at Grade C and above was 34.3% in 2001,
compared with the national average of 50%. The overall proportion of 16-yearolds in education and training was 75% compared with the national average of
2
82.7%. Nevertheless, there are positive trends evident which a new institution
could expect to utilize and develop. For example, those remaining full-time
schools and colleges increased from 59.3% in 1998 to 63.9% in 2001 and the
number progressing to FE increased significantly to 20% of the age range cohort.
2.2
It is clear from these figures that there is considerable potential to increase
achievement and participation. Indeed, if government targets are to be realized,
it is essential that the gap between local and national averages is reduced. The
current developments now proposed under the LSC’s Post Area Inspection
Action Plan will have particular impact in this regard.
2.3
A detailed examination of the College’s portfolios of courses leading to academic,
vocational and occupational qualifications confirms the following:i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
as evidenced by the September 2002 recruitment pattern, the enrolment
of young people to GCE and GCSE qualifications has already been
stimulated by the designation of the College’s 6th Form Centre. The
September 2003 enrolment shows an increase of over 5% in comparison
with September 2002. The further development of this Centre planned
by the College and the likely re-organisation of 16-19 provision in the city
will maintain annual growth levels of at least of 4% (strategy i);
there are considerable opportunities for the development of new
qualifications leading to National awards of Edexcel. It is envisaged that
the emergence of a new institution will general organic growth of existing
provision with little or no extra resource. A figure of 3-5% is regarded as
not unrealistic (strategy ii);
the demand amongst adults for basic skills and for English for Speakers
of Other Languages remains considerable. The target for the Bradford
area is for a minimum 6,800 students to be accessing provision and
achieving qualifications up to Level 2 by 2004. The College is currently
contributing 3,100 places towards the total provision of 5,750 in the
district. As the district and regional targets will increase again for 2010
there is strong evidence that continuous growth in student numbers will
be steered by national and regional requirements, as well as local needs
(strategy vii);
the opportunities for courses of continuing professional development in
the new institution at further education levels are considerable, across a
wide range of occupational training areas. In the case of NVQs for
example, whilst some employers have recently made decisions to
undertake the training and assessment themselves, others who took this
position in the recent past are now returning to colleges for more efficient
and cost effective delivery. Notable examples at present are NHS Trusts
and Social Services departments who have concluded that the delivery of
underpinning knowledge is more cost-effectively delivered in an institution
(strategy vii);
there is also potential for growth in both new and existing programme
areas, for example, in music technology, construction and in sciencebased professions including ophthalmic dispensing, pharmacy
technicians, cosmetic sciences and complementary therapies.
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3
Growth in Higher Education
3.1
Since the Phase I report was published the need to strengthen progression into
higher education from further education and from schools has become more
pressing as a local priority. For example, the low progression rates for young
people into higher education were highlighted in the Area Inspection of 16-19
provision in Bradford as an urgent area for action and the Action Plan prepared in
response to the inspection incorporated a number of area-wide initiatives, with
the College and the University being identified as important agents in the
programme. In addition, the continuing national agenda to increase and to widen
participation requires active strategies that involve people of all ages. It is clear
that the local and national funding and planning agencies will support growth in
participation. The following general progression routes are confirmed as
priorities with, in many cases, some action having already been initiated by the
University and/or the College.
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
3.2
the development of compact arrangements with local schools to facilitate
progression into existing courses (strategy vi);
the establishment of the School/College Partnership between Bradford
College and five local schools to facilitate broad-based collaboration,
including curriculum collaboration and progression initiatives (strategy
vi);
the College’s existing and well-developed modular access course
framework that already allows progression to most HE options. Further
routes will be added to the framework as the range of higher education
provision is extended (strategy vii);
the extension of the present mentorship pilots to enhance progression
from further education courses to Bradford-based higher education
(strategy iii);
the development of screening and support arrangements for students on
higher education programmes in the areas of basic, key, and study skills
(strategy iv).
Strong growth potential is identified in a proposal for the development of
provision for the creative industries, incorporating arts, design, entertainment and
information from the University’s School of Informatics and the College’s
Departments of Art, Design & Textiles and General Education. The proposal
would address new, inter-disciplinary courses in some of the 50 most popular
subject areas (UCAS) for the 2002 intake (which, in most cases, have attracted a
higher level of student applications than in previous years), including Computer
Science, (73,681 – 6%), Design Studies, (52,219 + 6%), Drama, (32,868 + 1%),
Media Studies, (19,134 + 8%), Cinematics & Photography, (18,909 +14%).
There would be substantial opportunity for further education growth to underpin
this new programme area. The development of this area could lead to the
establishment of a Centre for Creative Industries. The development of new
programmes could be undertaken on the basis of the present curriculum
capability of the two institutions, although full development of the area including
the establishment of the Centre would require additional investment.
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3.3
Despite a slight recent downturn in the number of applicants for Computer
Science courses, the area remains the second most popular higher education
curriculum area. The University’s School of Informatics and the College’s
Department of Computing & Business Administration have already planned new
undergraduate courses for the short term that will enroll an additional 50 students
per year on a rolling basis from September 2003. They have identified further
collaborative initiatives, which could commence from September 2004 onwards
with a targeted additional recruitment of 100 students per year rolling forward
annually. These proposals combine Informatics with other specialist curriculum
areas and are designed to meet the demand for new kinds of course at the
interface of existing disciplines (strategy i).
3.4
Higher education in Bradford is unusual in comparison with others in the UK in
that there is relatively little provision of undergraduate courses in English and the
broad-based humanities subjects, other than as a supporting or a minor study.
The Phase II review has concluded that there is significant potential for the
development of cultural studies as a major subject, with the possibility of a
distinctive “Bradford” curriculum shaped to acknowledge the urban, multi-cultural
context and based on important disciplines which might include English, History
and Communication Studies and extend to areas of present specialist strength
such as, Art & Design and Sociology, Social Policy and Philosophy.
3.5
Some core disciplines which are either absent or underrepresented in the
Bradford curriculum are amongst the most popular nationally, for instance
English Studies attracting nearly 49,000 applications in 2002 (10% up on 2001)
and History attracting over 41,000 applications in 2002 (15% up on 2001).
Cultural studies include subjects that are popular with recent GCE students
within the College. In 2001 there were over 110 College successes in relevant A
Level subjects and a significant proportion of the young people who progressed
from college to higher education at institutions other than the College and the
University, did so in subjects related to cultural studies.
3.6
The College and the University already have a range of provision on which to
build cultural studies within both further education and higher education.
3.7
National higher education recruitment to this area is large and is increasing and
there is a solid body of demand locally both at FE and at HE levels It is evident
therefore, that this curriculum area will attract growth. A significant proportion of
the growth will be medium term, for example it is calculated that over five to eight
years it will be reasonable to expect a 5% increase in overall student numbers
representing an additional 500 students across all years (strategies ii and iii).
3.8
Psychology is currently offered as a GCE subject and as a minor/subsidiary
subject on higher education programmes both within the University and the
College. For higher education, as a specialist Science or Social Science
discipline, the subject features as the third most popular in UCAS admissions
statistics with almost 70,000 admissions in 2002 and an 11% growth over 2001.
At the FE level, Psychology is the most popular Science A Level in England and
Wales with a considerable growth record and it is currently one of the most
popular subjects offered by Bradford College and local schools. Current
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experience with mature students studying access to higher education courses
confirms that there is an equivalent good level of demand in this area.
3.9
Appraisal of the potential of the subject for delivery in the merged institution
confirms that there is a very strong higher education market that can be
developed building on a considerable growth potential for further education.
3.10
The development of a single subject degree would have to be regarded as a
medium to long term enterprise requiring some capital investment. For reasons
of the market currency it will necessary for the course to receive accreditation by
the British Psychological Society (strategies ii, iii and vi).
3.11
There is considerable potential for developing the Education subject area. The
education sector generally is one that is widely acknowledged for having
significant staff shortages and skills needs. The sector is considerably broader
than that relating to the training of school teachers and involves, in addition:





FE and HE teacher training;
Continuous professional development for teachers and trainers;
Guidance and learner support worker development;
Education management;
Workplace trainer development;
Sector skill development.
3.12
Both the College and the University are currently active in this sector. Bradford
College has for many years been a major national provider of both Initial Teacher
Training and Post Experience training courses with the Teacher Training Agency
active in regulating in both sectors. The College currently receives first year
allocations for places on courses leading to Qualified Teacher Status. These
allocations relate to specific phases of education and specified subjects. The
University offers a number of postgraduate and masters level programmes and is
planning other courses, including a Certificate in Training & Development for
Work-based Trainers.
3.13
Appraisal of the potential undertaken during Phase II has identified short-term
growth opportunities in higher education of 80 full-time placements and 50 parttime placements. In the somewhat longer term, a further 30 full-time and 30 FTE
equivalent part-time placements are identified. Most of these represent first year
intake into three-year courses and the programme provides good grounds for
targeting an overall growth of over 300 full-time equivalent placements in the
short term (strategy 1.ii).
3.14
The professional courses in Education at both institutions continue to attract
substantial numbers of overseas students and the present appraisal concludes
that growth in this sector could reasonably be targeted at a rolling 50 students
per year on undergraduate awards and 10 students per year on postgraduate
awards.
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3.15
Overall, the Engineering sector has continued to experience problems both in
further education recruitment and higher education recruitment. Recently
recruitment to University courses has declined significantly. Recruitment to
further education in the College has also reduced over the last 10 years,
although more recently is showing some stabilization.
3.16
Nevertheless, in the short term managed growth is considered to be sustainable
through closer alignment of courses in the College and University to secure
improved progression from FE to HE and through the development of joint
courses leading to Foundation Degrees in for example, Electronics,
Telecommunications and Automotive Engineering.
3.17
In the somewhat longer term there are opportunities through the combination of
Engineering with other existing specialisms, for example Art & Design and
Informatics in the area of Product Design and with subjects allied to Medicine in
the area of Medical Technology.
3.18
It is estimated that an additional 50 higher education enrolments could be
targeted per year from 2003 on the basis of largely existing levels of resourcing
and that a further 150 students per year can be enrolled from 2004-05 with
additional investment (strategies i,ii,iii).
3.19
The present provision is currently strong in the broad areas of Health Studies and
Life Sciences and although a wide range of undergraduate courses, is provided
particularly by the University, new markets have been identified for joint courses
leading to for example, BSc Bio Sciences, BSc Forensic Science, BSc
Pharmaceutical Sciences and Law, BSc Pharmacy Technicians. Opportunities
for new programmes have been identified, involving collaboration variously
between the Schools of Health Studies and Life Sciences at the University, and
the Departments of Applied Human Studies and Pure & Applied Sciences at the
College (Strategy ii).
3.20
Probably the single most significant area for new course development in the
short term concerns Foundation Degrees. The new qualification represents a
significant element of the government’s strategies to achieve greater and wider
participation in higher education, and to vocationalise the higher education
curriculum. The College and the University have prioritised the development of a
coherent and co-ordinated Foundation Degree programme and measures have
already been taken to establish a framework for joint activity. The institutions will
present a joint application to HEFCE for additional student numbers for
September 2003. It is expected that the programme will grow significantly over
the next four years and this in itself will make a significant contribution to the
growth plans of a merged institution. Although the two institutions individually
could expect to establish a broad portfolio of Foundation Degrees, the
opportunities for integrated courses which draw on the curriculum strengths of
both ensures a richer provision than would otherwise be possible. A Work Based
Learner Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care co founded by the NHSU
with 200 part time students is currently being negotiated (strategies ii, vi).
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4.
Conclusion
4.1
The illustrations presented during Phase II of the Feasibility Study clearly
demonstrate that growth is realisable in a new merged institution. If the
governing bodies decide to proceed with the merger proposal the papers
submitted during Phase II of the Feasibility Study (which are summarised above)
will be useful in assisting in the formulation of an academic strategy for the new
institution. However, they are not exclusive. There are many curriculum, subject
and disciplinary areas within which the two institutions either are or could be
active in the context of a merged university which have not been assessed within
Phase II. Opportunity will have to be given to all areas to contribute to the
development and growth of provision within the new institution. This must
include consideration of the following key factors in attracting and retaining
students:



4.2
A strong corporate brand which includes a commitment to social inclusion and
community development;
The courses and learner support services must meet the needs a widening
participation market;
A consistent ‘quality of experience’ that extends from first contact to alumni
relations;
An attractive and welcoming learning environment.
Figure A below illustrates the range of progression routes within a Strategic
Academic Unit of the new merged institution.
Figure A: Illustration of Progression Routes within a Strategic Academic Unit
C
B
FE
A
D
HE
D/E
E
Employment
Other FE/HE
Key
Direct Route
Indirect Route
A = Increase entry to FE
B = Increase progression FE - HE
C = Increase entry to HE
D = Increase employer involvement
E = Increase CPD opportunities
8