The need for the UK to upskill, reskill and retrain its adult population has never been more pressing than in the aftermath of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.This seminar will hear presentations from academics across the Higher Education sector in the UK including from college-based higher education and alternative providers, exploring the challenges that this turbulent environment presents for adult learners and providers of adult education.  Delegates will engage with the material through hands-on activity in identifying approaches to attracting adult learners in HE and applying tools and techniques to assist the evaluation of their impact.


John Butcher, Associate Director and Wendy Fowle, Senior Manager, Research and Evaluation, Learning and Teaching Innovation Portfolio, The Open University
Evaluation of initiatives to support individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds into HE has predominantly focussed upon young (18-21 year old) students.  This approach overlooks the adult learner environment and the challenges in evaluating outreach for this group, who do not necessarily follow the linear pathway to degree completion as evident for younger students.  The decline in the number of part-time students, who are often mature (Butcher, 2015) suggests that there is a need to refocus attention on adult learners and explore approaches to outreach and the challenges in evaluating its impact. Dr John Butcher will explore these issues drawing upon five case studies that have been developed through a collaborative research project, funded by the Office for Fair Access (OfFA).

John Widdowson, Principal New College Durham, Chair Mixed Economy Group of Colleges
Much of the academic work around widening participation in Higher Education has centred on the need to secure better and wider participation from groups underrepresented in entry to full time courses. Recent HEFCE initiatives have continued this focus with the introduction of tightly targeted Outward Collaborative Projects aimed at young people under the age of eighteen. Whilst this work is of clear value and importance, it may have distracted attention and resources away from other equally worthy groups and individuals. Foremost amongst these are adult learners in their many forms and in particular those adults who chose at an earlier stage in their career to enter employment but subsequently undertake higher education qualifications. The development of Higher and Degree Apprenticeships is likely to increase learners of this type. However, reliable data on these learners can be difficult to find and yet they represent a key part of the Higher Education landscape. This session will draw on work undertaken by the Mixed Economy Group of Colleges and others to explore the particular needs and issues of these students and what more may need to be done to ensure that the contribution made to widening participation by these learners is recognised and supported. 

Michael Hill, Independent Consultant in HE
GSM London, is an alternative provider of HE in London which is committed to widening access.  This presentation will explore the development of strategies for attracting adult learners to HE and how the institution is tackling issues around transition, including the use of a Foundation Year 0 programme. Michael will talk about how GSM London is developing its academic staff so that they are effective in planning, delivering and evaluating a curriculum which meets students’ aspirations and ambitions and within which students can engage. He will relate these approaches with his as an evaluator of the Paul Hamlyn/HEA funded What Works Part 2 programme.