Learning and Skills Research Network Conference 6 December 2007 The synergy of policy, practice and research in a collaborative project Anne Thompson, Liz Halford and Will Thomas

Universal Access and Dual Regimes of Further and Higher Education The FurtherHigher Project A two year study With four partner institutions In collaboration with HEFCE

Elements of the project International and national policy National data sets (ILR and HESA) Organisational typology Field work in four partner institutions

Collaborative working and capacity building ‘A key element in the study is research collaboration and capacity-building with partner institutions.’

Case Study Project Team University of Sheffield FurtherHigher Collaborative Project Team Case study fieldwork Project website: Case Study A Case Study C Case Study B Case Study D Institutional RA A Institutional RA B Institutional RA C Institutional RA D Int RA Research Associate A Research Associate B Research Associate C/D Director Policy Director Institutions Director Case Study University of Leeds University of the West of England Cognate Project Review of Literature on Foundation Degrees (FdF) Cognate Project Higher Education in Further Education Colleges Report on HEFCE consultation (HEFCE) PhD Student 2 PhD Student 3 PhD 5 FE and HE College PhD 3 /PhD Student 1

Fieldwork Methodology 2 transitions –Level 3 → Level 4 –Level 5 → Level 6 3 interviews with students –End of their course –After 1 term of new course –End of their 1 st /final year 10 students at each level (20 per institution)

Fieldwork at Suffolk College Difficult to find appropriate cohorts –Getting the right data –Lack of internal progression (~8% overall) Highlighted an issue with one subject group –No progression from ND Business –Why? Parallel study of students from Business

Working together? Tensions between project and institutional interests –Maintaining professional distance as an Institutional Research Associate –Respecting confidentiality Synergy of research interests –Greater understanding of progression –Highlighting issues for the institution

Outcomes Work to understand progression Better data about recruitment and retention –Survey of students’ intentions Role for CREATE to play in internal research in this area –Analysis of data and information for internal dissemination

Fieldwork at TVU: The benefits of collaboration Institutional – Contributes to developing research capacity at TVU RAE entry as new researcher Informs my own practice Links to other research projects and activities

Benefits (cont.) Personal – Enhanced my own research capability, by participating in a large and experienced team Contributed to a systematic research process Raised awareness of ethical issues

Relationship to academic activity The research has formed part of a professional doctorate Fieldwork provided data regarding my own institution Also enabled access to data from other institutions, providing a comparative element

Related activities Educational Policy and Pedagogical Research Group Learning Lunches Faculty Research Journal Developing practitioner research with colleagues