Learning and Teaching Committee

 

Subject:            Policy in relation to Foundation Degrees

 

Origin:            Robert Bowyer; PDQ Team

 

 

Learning and Teaching Committee is invited to recommend to Senate the adoption of a brief policy statement on Foundation Degrees, as proposed (in bold) below.

 

 

Background

 

David Blunkett, Secretary of State for Education and Employment, announced plans to introduce foundation degrees in February 2000.

 

The ‘Foundation Degree Prospectus’ was issued by HEFCE in July 2000, incorporating an invitation for consortia to bid for funds to develop prototype FDs.  A consortium would comprise an HEI as degree-awarding body, institutions delivering the FD – commonly FECs, and employer representatives.

 

Funds were available to successful consortia for the design and development of the prototypes from November 2000.  Funding for teaching provision applied from 2001/02.

 

The prospectus detailed a set of ‘core features’ with the aim of establishing the FD as a qualification with a clear identity, and a ‘qualification benchmark’ for the FD was also issued subsequently by the QAA.  The distinctiveness of the FD is said to come from the clear and planned integration of the following characteristics within a single award underpinned by work-based learning: ‘accessibility; articulation and progression; employer involvement; flexibility and partnership.’  The FD is located at the intermediate level in the FHEQ.

 

Additional impetus to FD developments was given by the Government White Paper, The Future of Higher Education, published in January 2003, which stated the Government’s commitment to expanding FD provision.  The White Paper promised funding for additional places for FDs rather than traditional three-year honours degrees and the strengthening of links between further and higher education to give students clearer progression pathways and support the development of work-based degrees.  It also envisaged the creation of ‘Foundation Degree Forward’, a national network of universities leading the development of FDs (see elsewhere on the agenda).

 

In October 2003, HEFCE called for bids for ASNs to support FDs from 2004/05.  An additional 10,000 FTE places were available.  HEFCE provided for a regional distribution of the places and there is a strong emphasis on contributing to economic strategies prepared by the RDAs and building on links with the business community. 


The East Midlands did not submit sufficient good quality bids to reach its target and a second invitation to bid has been issued.

 

The East Midlands Universities Association has a Foundation degree strategy which includes the following aims:

 

There are signs that some employer organisations are beginning to look more actively for educational partners who might be prepared to offer FDs to serve the requirements of their sector workforce. 

 

By spring 2003, there were 12,000 students following FDs across the country.  There are 1100 different FD courses listed by UCAS as being in validation and available to students.

 

LU involvement in Foundation Degrees

 

LU bid for a prototype FD in 2000, in collaboration with Loughborough College and New College Nottingham.  It was unsuccessful, but the bid went forward into the ASN competition for places from 2001/02, and ASNs for the delivery of the FDs at the Colleges were indirectly funded via the University.

 

The Colleges developed two separate FD programmes which LU validated from September 2001.

 

Both Colleges have presented further FD programmes for validation subsequently. 

 

The FD programmes currently validated by the University are as follows (start date in brackets):

 

Loughborough College

      Sports Science (01) +

      Sports Science with Sports Management (02) +

      Leisure Management (02)

      Tourism Management (02)

      Hospitality Management (02)

      Exercise and Health (04)

 

New College Nottingham

      Events and Facilities Management (01)

 

Peterborough Regional College

      Learning Support (02)

 

Progression routes to Honours degrees are in place where indicated ‘+’.

 

Loughborough College has indicated that it is taking the FDs in Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality Management to another validating institution and that the 2004 intake will be the last to these programmes.  It has not been possible for LU to establish a progression route for these FDs; another institution has collaborated with the College


to provide progression opportunities and the same partner will take over the validation of these FDs.

 

LU declined to proceed with the validation of proposals from NCN for the introduction of an FD in Licensed Trade Management or with proposals for an Honours top-up in Service Sector Management. 

 

The PRC FD has been validated for one cohort only.  APU has been acting as validating body for the programme for students entering from 2003 onwards.

 

Future LU policy towards Foundation Degrees

 

A major factor limiting the expansion of validated provision, including Foundation Degrees, and leading to the reappraisal of some of the University’s existing arrangements, has been the adoption of a Policy on Collaborative Programmes which clearly states that in future the University will normally consider collaborative programmes only in disciplines in which it has subject expertise, and that the active and willing engagement of a University department in a cognate subject area will be a normal prerequisite.  http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/policy/aqp/appendix/21/index.htm

 

In the current environment, national, regional and institutional, it is suggested that it would be helpful to have a policy statement in respect of Foundation Degrees to steer future University involvement.  The PDQ Team recommends the adoption of the following statement:

 

Loughborough University does not propose to deliver Foundation Degree programmes itself but is willing to act within the terms of its existing policy on collaborative programmes as validating institution for partner FE Colleges in the East Midlands who wish to deliver such programmes.

 

This statement would imply