This article was originally published in HEPI. Degree apprenticeships. They’re Skills Minister Robert Halfon’s “two favourite words in the English language” and we’re at the beginning of a whole week dedicated to raising awareness and celebrating the many benefits of apprenticeships at all levels (yes this year’s National Apprenticeships Week does clash with World Nutella Day, but that aside…). Armchair […]
The Office for Students has announced a £12 million investment in degree apprenticeships in England, with over £2m allocated to Alliance universities. Vanessa Wilson, CEO of University Alliance said in response to the announcement: “It’s great to see eight University Alliance members awarded funding to expand their degree apprenticeship offer. Alliance universities have long been […]
Note: in July 2024, following the election of a new Labour government, University Alliance has published an updated publication Let’s Get Technical: The First 100 Days. This sets out our recommendations for the government’s first 100 days in office, and in the long-term. University Alliance, an association of the UK’s leading professional and technical universities, […]
Professional and technical universities educate approximately 1 in 3 midwives and specialise in innovative provision such as degree apprenticeships. In our latest ‘Innovators’ blog, Sue Lawrence, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery at the University of Greenwich writes about how her institution innovated by developing one of the country’s first degree apprenticeships in Midwifery. “Back in 2019, […]
Vanessa Wilson CEO of University Alliance comments in response to a new report by UCAS and the Sutton Trust called ‘Where Next? What Influences the choices of would-be apprentices?’ “We know apprenticeships are popular. They are a great option for students who want to work whilst they study and a great option for employers who […]
University Alliance CEO Vanessa Wilson responded to today’s announcement on the guidance received by the Office for Students from Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan, to include a £40m degree apprenticeships development fund as part of the 2023-24 Higher Education Strategic Priorities Grant. Wilson said: “Degree apprenticeships are increasingly one of the most popular […]
University Alliance has responded to Leader of the Opposition Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement to overhaul the skills and apprenticeships system. Vanessa Wilson, CEO of the Alliance, said: “Alliance Universities lead the way in skills-focussed learning which benefits industry and our public services. We welcome the Labour Party’s proposals to devolve spending on adult education skills […]
As the new government settle in to their posts and prepare for a fiscal event on Friday (23 September), University Alliance have released A Vision for Growth. In it, the Alliance outline a vision for national and regional growth, fuelled by technical and professional universities. The document emphasises three areas of focus: delivering the skills […]
University Alliance have written a letter to the Minister of State for School Standards, the Rt. Hon. Robin Walker MP, marking their concerns on the Department for Education’s proposed reforms as laid out in the Initial Teacher Training Market review, and encouraging ministers to delay reform proceedings until a more considered approach can be made. […]
Initial teacher training (ITT) should and must evolve in order to maintain and sustain educational standards for current and future generations of pupils – but there have been fundamental problems with the approach taken in the government’s ITT market review so far, argues University Alliance, the voice of technical and professional universities. Responding to the […]
