UK Diversity

1. UK Diversity • Less regulated, free enterprise society/economy • Multitude of qualifications, professional institutions • Cultural diversity: European, Commonwealth, US, global • National systems of education, law “advising organisations on the development of their professionals”

2. UK Universities • 109 Universities + 60 other HEIs (separated from other education): • High status universities • Other traditional universities • Ex-polytechnics • Others (incl. OU, franchised degrees at colleges) • 2 year Foundation degrees, 4 year integrated Masters, part-time courses, CPD courses, • 3 out of European top 4, 4 out of global top 10 • Large number of foreign students • Current: funding cuts “advising organisations on the development of their professionals”

3. Professional Institutions • Prestigious, powerful, voluntary • Entry standards (professionals, associate professionals), recognised degree + supervised practice + assessment • Continuing Professional Development (CPD) • Self-regulating autonomy, Royal Charter • “Promoting the science & art of …” • Public service, public protection • Tension between commercial and professional “advising organisations on the development of their professionals”

4. Competence & Learning Outcomes • Learner-centred movement in ‘70s • Outcomes not inputs assessment not curriculum • Objective (not subjective), explicit • Competence • = knowledge + skills + attitudes, in the workplace • Experiential learning as well as formal learning • Applications beyond learning & qualifications • Learning Outcomes • = knowledge + skills + attitudes • Formal learning Competence ≥ Learning Outcomes “advising organisations on the development of their professionals”

5. Competence ≥ Learning Outcomes • Learning Outcomes: statements of what a learner knows, understands and is able to do on completion of a learning process [EQF] • Competence: the ability to perform to standards required in employment across a range of circumstances and to meet changing demands. Includes the required knowledge, skill and attitudes [QCA] “advising organisations on the development of their professionals”

6. Benefits Use as building blocks Modularity Exemptions & recognition Career progression Transparency Many uses in work Includes informal learning Suits non-academic people Costs Generic language Need to share LOs for transferable skills Time consuming to specify Must include knowledge + skills + attitudes LO Benefits & Costs “advising organisations on the development of their professionals”

7. Qualifications Frameworks 1986 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) System • Competence-based, to reform all VET • Competences progressively adopted by Professional Institutions 1999 Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) policy: all courses to be specified by LOs. 2001 Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ)  all degrees with LOs in 2003 2000 National Qualifications Framework for non university qualifications 2001 Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) inclFQHE 2004 NQF modified to include FHEQ levels 2006 Scottish FQHE self-certified with FQ-EHEA (as pilot) 2008 English Qualifications & Credit Framework (QCF) 2008 FHEQ self-certified with FQ-EHEA 2000-on Subject Benchmarks (agreed with Professional Institutions) specify core LOs for all Bachelors & Masters “advising organisations on the development of their professionals”