The future for part time and distance study22 October 2009

Event overview

Flexible and part-time higher education provision is central to UK's ambition to be leader in world class skills and central to unlocking the talent of younger and older people alike. UK higher education institutions must understand that they will be increasingly required to accommodate and support a range of student ability, study options and timeframes, in light of these new demands this one day conference will:

• Understand the impact of the economic crisis on demand for reskilling through part-time study, including increased demand for postgraduate business and professional qualifications.
• Examine the new ways of delivering courses that meet the needs of students and employers.
• Identify the external and internal factors both facilitating and inhibiting the growth of HEI part-time provision
• Identify what changes are required by HEIs, government and the funding councils to encourage greater part-time undergraduate provision
• Understand the need for transferable credit based learning system and credit based funding
• Look at the key factors for high non-completion and understand how to prevent it
• Learn how leading HEIs are putting into place measures to allow for breaks in study
• Identify strategies for HEIs to meet the needs an increasingly diverse student market
• Discuss flexible and new options for modes of delivery
• Hear from students and learners about the reality vs ideal
• Explore the implications and opportunities of the future of part time admissions
• Understand the importance of, and hear best practice case studies of employer engagement