The network of higher education institutions (HEI’s) and further education and training providers (ETBs), is particularly focused on Section 8 (p106) of the SOLAS strategy for the progression of FE graduates to Higher Education and to enable the Higher Education Parity (HEA) reach its target of a 10% increase in progression from FET to HE in 2016. There are many instances where individual arrangements between teachers and management of further education and higher education institutions have constructed facilitative pathways for further education graduates of particular standards to progress into higher education. This paper outlines some of these examples of good practice.
This research shows that there is a strong local relationships between higher education and further education providers. However this relationship has not always been based fully on equality. Rather, it is based on a wide and diverse range of reasons including:
• The experience of further education teachers who received their professional education in particular higher education institutions
• The increasing demand from students and teachers in further education to find progression pathways for further education graduates, and
• The historically segregated responsibilities of the state in relation to further education provision.
Based on input from network partners this paper will map out the various localised pathways that facilitate progression from (FET to HE. The paper will synthesise learning from these arrangements and suggest examples of best practice that could be applied more widely.