American Models and European Policies: the Career of the Short- Cycle Foundation Degree Gareth Parry University of Sheffield, UK

Between America and Europe rival models of higher education markers of English ‘exceptionalism’ America: lesson-drawing Europe: decision-making few grounded studies

Why the foundation degree? Policy translation, recontexualisation and enactment over 25 years: American imprint English experiment European alignment

Some revisionist reminders varieties of sub-baccalaureate qualification routes to mass higher education overlapping sectors of higher and further education multiple missions of further education serious and active in Europe

Insinuation (1980s): American models and British problems How to move from elite to mass higher education by diversifying: mission funding standards

There cannot be American solutions to British problems … But the more this expansion is taken by the elite selective system, the more it tends to become a system of mass higher education, with less money per capita, less autonomy, more central intervention and control, and lower standards … One might ask whether it might not be preferable to upgrade further education to the status of mass higher education than to downgrade some universities and polys to perform the same functions (Trow 1987)

I believe we that we may be approaching a fundamental choice between two different patterns of evolution. One route towards mass higher education could be through an increasingly state funded and therefore state organised ‘system’ of higher education. There is a real possibility that this will be the course followed on the Continent … The other route, that I would prefer, would see the movement towards mass higher education accompanied by greater differentiation and diversification in a market-led and multi-funded setting (Baker 1989)

Expansion (early 1990s): Robertson and a culture of credit proposal for an associate degree, as a new interim new-year academic qualification set within a national credit framework able to attract dual accreditation delivery in further education colleges as well as universities

Rejection (late 1990s): Dearing and the Scottish example renewed expansion at sub-baccalaureate levels based on existing qualifications special mission for further education colleges a national framework of qualifications

Domestication (new century): Blair and the English experiment launch of the foundation degree, as a two- year work-focused qualification coupled with 50% target free-standing, with transfer university-employer-college part of a new vocational ladder

Harmonisation (new century): Europe and the Bologna process the governance of knowledge three cycles, with bachelors as the first degree European qualification frameworks the place of short-cycle qualifications

A distinctly English creation? a response to unplanned expansion and market failure a hybrid qualification for ‘the middle third’ a public-private configuration a short-order, short-life award, with local circulation and vocational horizon

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