Upc Webinars
Towards a Bold Vision for Post-16 Reform
Join us for a forward-looking online discussion exploring the bold ideas needed to shape a more coherent, ambitious and future-ready post-16
Against the backdrop of the Milburn Review, the growing challenges facing higher education, and the priorities of the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, this webinar will ask what a genuinely transformative vision for post-16 education could look like.
Chaired by Olly Newton, Executive Director of the Edge Foundation and Martin Cumella, co-founder and editor our Skills and Growth Initiative, the webinar will bring together leading voices offering perspectives from four distinct lenses: international education, the International Baccalaureate, innovation within England, and the Welsh post-16 education and training system.
Together, they will explore themes including curriculum reform, the changing role of higher education, learner-centred, flexible systems, and a unified post-16 tertiary system that breaks down barriers between vocational and higher education pathways. The discussion will also consider how greater devolution and stronger local collaboration, backed by longer-term funding and powers, can deliver change.
Whether you're a policymaker, educator, employer or sector leader, join us to hear bold solutions to shape the next chapter of post-16 education reform.
About Skills and Growth
Who we are
The Skills and Growth initiative has been launched by a diverse group of leaders with decades of senior experience in the vocational education and training sector. Our focus is on shaping post-16 education policy UK, driving forward further education strategy, and strengthening skills and productivity UK agenda.
Our Purpose
Our purpose is to stimulate debate on the major issues impacting post-16 education policy UK. This sector is vital to the life chances of millions of young people and adults, central to the UK's skills and productivity and economic wellbeing. Yet, despite its importance, we believe further education strategy has too often been undervalued and underfunded.
Our Mission
A key aim of the initiative is to raise the profile of the sector and of the central role that it can play in generating economic growth which the Labour Government has identified one of its' major objectives. We are inviting anyone, whether staff or governors of colleges or other training organisations, policy makers, students or employers, who shares our passion to enhance the status and quality of vocational education to become involved.
A key aim of the initiative is to raise the profile of the sector and highlight the central role it plays in driving skills and productivity UK - a major priority identified by the Labour Government. We are inviting college leaders, governors, training providers, policymakers, employers, and students who share our passion for enhancing the status and quality of vocational education and shaping further education strategy UK and post-16 education policy UK to become involved.