Colleges in their communities
Colleges should seize the opportunity offered by a new government and an easing of central regulation to set their own agendas, says Margaret Sharp, a leading economist and Liberal Democrat peer.
Lady Sharp is currently chairing an inquiry into the role of colleges in their communities, which is due to report in November. The inquiry, established jointly by Niace, the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the 157 Group, will make recommendations on how colleges can best serve their communities.
"It's a very important moment for colleges because the Learning and Skills Council regime was one in which they were required to be relatively passive. They were given targets. They were told what to do. I think there is an opportunity now for colleges to become more proactive and develop their own agendas," Sharp says.
Coalition ministers are keen to see the development of more local accountability in the adult learning sector and the inquiry is expected to examine how decision-making at a local level can be improved.
Niace programme manager Ian Yarroll says the inquiry will look at how colleges engage with their communities, with local businesses and local authorities. "One of the areas colleges can have a potential impact on is the local economy by helping to ensure adults and businesses are provided with the right skills," he says.
Chris Morecroft, president of the AoC, says: "The difficulties that colleges sometimes face in engaging with their communities are often due to the rules and regulations governing the way they can spend the money allocated by central government and its agencies. This doesn't always allow them flexibility to meet defined local needs. Colleges are firmly rooted in the communities they serve and are often the largest employer in the area so take their responsibilities seriously."
Lynne Sedgmore, executive director of the 157 Group, says: "This inquiry will reinforce the notion that colleges are important hubs which have the ability to shape and boost local economies and societies, providing opportunities and social mobility while fulfilling the demands of the local labour market."