{"id":4440,"date":"2016-12-05T16:35:20","date_gmt":"2016-12-05T16:35:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/cel\/?p=4440"},"modified":"2016-12-05T16:35:20","modified_gmt":"2016-12-05T16:35:20","slug":"he-policy-update-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk\/flie\/2016\/12\/05\/he-policy-update-6\/","title":{"rendered":"HE policy update"},"content":{"rendered":"

Colleagues, Jane Forster continue to provide us with valuable policy updates. Please see below the recent edition,\u00a0touching on Brexit,\u00a0Graduate outcomes,\u00a0Schools,\u00a0\u00a0Nursing degree apprenticeships,\u00a0\u00a0Government grant standards and the\u00a0Teaching Excellence Framework:<\/p>\n

…………………..<\/p>\n

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Vinney, has a new blog<\/a> on the HEPI (the Higher Education policy Institute) website on research and teaching and how Stern and the TEF work together.<\/p>\n

Brexit:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Research Professional note that: In oral answers to questions on 1 December \u201cRobin Walker, the minister in charge of higher education in the Department for Exiting the European Union, told MPs that he has taken evidence from a number of organisations including Universities UK, the royal academies and the Russell Group on the implications of EU withdrawal for universities\u201d. \u201cThe sector strongly supports our ambition to create an environment in which the UK as a whole can continue to be a world leader in research, science and the tertiary education sector<\/a>,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Research Professional also note that David Jones, another junior minister in the same department, added in a written answer that ministers \u201cwill aim to visit every sector and every region of the UK\u201d to hear their views on EU withdrawal, as part of a wider approach to build \u201cnational consensus around our negotiating position\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In another piece of welcome transitional news, the government has confirmed<\/a> that EU students starting courses in 2017\/18 can apply for Research Council Studentships, and funding will last for the whole of their courses.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Graduate outcomes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Department for Education have released<\/a> data on graduate destinations from the Longitudinal Educations Outcome (LEO) dataset.\u00a0 This is made up of information from the National Pupil Database (NPD), the Individualised Learner Record (ILR), the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), Her Majesty\u2019s Revenue and Customs data (HMRC), The National Benefit Database, the Labour Market System and Juvos, the unemployment research database.\u00a0 This is different from the DLHE (Destination of Leavers in Higher Education) because it takes a much longer term view (DLHE is currently at 6 months after graduation).<\/p>\n

The data released today is \u201cexperimental\u201d and looks at the employment and earnings outcomes of those graduating with an undergraduate degree in 2008\/09 from an English higher education institution (HEI). It looks at outcomes one, three and five years after graduation.\u00a0 Data are split by subject studied and graduate characteristic (sex, ethnicity, age, home region and prior attainment at A level).\u00a0 Employment outcomes are also provided for each HEI.\u00a0 (A further release is scheduled for spring 2017 covering outcomes by each subject for each institution.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

There will be plenty of analysis and commentary to follow \u2013 UUK were very quick off the mark with a blog<\/a> \u201cGraduate earnings data is welcome but doesn\u2019t tell full story\u201d \u2013 noting that it doesn\u2019t cover self-employed students (with a disproportionate effect on arts graduates) or those who are working abroad and do not separate part-time work or address regional variations.\u00a0 However, despite these limitations, the data will no doubt provides interesting context for the TEF amongst other things.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Schools:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Ofsted 15\/16 Annual Report<\/a> outlines improved school judgements with \u2018considerable\u2019 benefits for children under age 11, however the North\/South divide has widened. Concerns are expressed regarding the quality of technical and vocational education and training alongside \u2018serious knowledge and skills gaps\u2019 which threaten the competitiveness of the UK economy, further exacerbated by Brexit.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This is interesting in the context of the schools consultation, which closes on 16th<\/sup> December \u2013 a Guardian<\/em><\/strong>article<\/a> concludes that this is a complicated and risky area for universities.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Nursing degree apprenticeships:<\/strong><\/p>\n

A new nursing degree apprenticeship<\/a> was announced on 30 November as part of the government commitment to create 100,000 apprenticeships within the NHS by 2020, and make up to 40,000 more nurses available to prevent rota gaps. The new nursing associate role will be hands on and expected to free up existing nurses to lead patient care decisions. Successful completion of the nursing associate apprenticeship can count towards a nursing degree and lead to registered nurse status.<\/p>\n

The apprenticeship aims to open up a nursing career to people from all backgrounds, improving diversity within the workforce, through the earn whilst you learn model. The government envisages up to 1,000 nursing apprentices per year, starting from September 2017, with a flexible and progressive training model which accounts for previous qualifications and experience. The nursing apprenticeship standards are detailed here.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Royal College of Nursing response<\/a> is wary of creating a two-tier system, refers to the past where students were seen as \u2018nursing on the cheap\u2019 and stresses the importance of would-be nurses having a graduate level education to gain the knowledge and skills required for 21st<\/sup> century health care.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Government grant standards<\/strong><\/p>\n

The much criticised anti-lobbying clause was put on hold earlier this year (read more here<\/a>) \u2013 and the government have today issued their new standards guidance for government grants.<\/a>\u00a0 The new guidance confirms that researchers can communicating research and inform policy, including responding to consultations and select committee enquiries, and contributing expert scientific advice to inform government policy.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Teaching Excellence Framework<\/strong><\/p>\n

And finally \u2013 the Chair of the TEF panel, Chris Husbands (VC of Sheffield Hallam) has written on Wonkhe \u2013 busting 5 myths about TEF<\/a>.\u00a0 The myths he is busting are:<\/p>\n