04 - England - General Objectives

The Robbins Report (Robbins, 1963) specified four aims for higher education: instruction in skills suitable to play a part in the general division of labour; promoting the general powers of the mind; the advancement of learning; and the transmission of a common culture and common standards of citizenship.

The Dearing Report (Dearing, 1997) considered the intellectual and cultural purposes of higher education but also emphasised the economic benefits. The Report stated that higher education should aim to ‘sustain a learning society’ through the intellectual development of individuals: equipping them for work and enabling them to contribute effectively to society and to achieve personal fulfilment. Higher education should increase individuals’ knowledge and understanding both for their own sake and for the sake of the economy and society. It should aim to serve the needs of an adaptable, sustainable, knowledge-based economy and shape a democratic, civilised and inclusive society.

In the Green Paper ‘The Learning Age’ (GB. Parliament. HoC, 1998), the Government set out its strategy for lifelong learning. This includes a commitment to the principle that anyone who has the capability for higher education should have the opportunity to benefit from it. Current objectives for higher education include increasing and widening participation and improving standards and quality of teaching and learning.

In October 2001, the then Department for Education and Skills (DfES) announced a wide-ranging and fundamental review to help the higher education sector improve and expand. This announcement was followed up in January 2003, by the White Paper, ‘The Future of Higher Education’ (GB. Parliament. HoC, 2003b), which set out the Government's strategy for the reform of higher education in England, as well as a number of measures which would affect the rest of the United Kingdom. The strategy focused on packages of measures in six key areas, which included:
  • Strengthening research through increased spending.
  • Improving links between higher education and business.
  • Promoting excellence in teaching in higher education through the creation of new professional standards and a new national body (now established and referred to as the Higher Education Academy (HEA)
  • Continuing to expand higher education to increase participation towards 50 per cent.
  • Ensuring fair access to higher education for young people from lower-income families.
  • Reforming funding through the introduction of a new graduate contribution scheme.
In the same year, the Government presented the actions it proposed taking to widen participation in ‘Widening Participation in Higher Education’ (DfES, 2003f) under the following four headings: Attainment, Aspiration, Application and Admissions.

The Welsh Assembly Government published its ten-year strategy for higher education in Wales in 2002. This set out the aims and purposes of higher education as being to:
  • Inspire and enable individuals to develop their capabilities to the highest potential levels throughout life, so that they grow intellectually, are well equipped for work, can contribute effectively to society and achieve fulfilment.
  • Increase knowledge and understanding for their own sake and to foster their application to the benefit of the economy and society.
  • Serve the needs of an adaptable, sustainable, knowledge based economy at local, regional and national levels.
  • Play a major role in shaping a democratic, civilised, inclusive society.’ (WAG, 2002b).

Institutions:

 

Higher Education Academy (HEA)
Innovation Way York Science Park Heslington York Y010 5BR. England
Tel.:+44 (0)1904 717500
Fax:+44 (0)1904 717505
E-mail: enquiries@heacademy.ac.uk
Website:  http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/


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Date: 2009
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