28 September 2007
Experts from across government, education, business and the public sector are being brought together to draw up a strategy for adult education in the UK.
The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education launched an inquiry on September 25 to identify a broad consensus on the future of adult learning. It will consider how it needs to respond to issues such as globalisation and demographic change.
The inquiry will be chaired by Sir David Watson, a historian and professor of higher education management at the Institute of Education. He said continuous education was recognised as a basis for both a prosperous economy and a cohesive community.
'As such, many influential individuals and groups think they know how to make it better,' he said. 'So far — in terms of both policy and practice in the UK — their solutions have failed to join up. We hope to improve this.'
Institute director Alan Tuckett said the provision of adult education was weakening and fragmenting, and a strategy was of vital importance. 'There is debate on how limited public funding should be spent to secure progression in education and the development of economically valuable skills for adults, and to secure the widest range of other social policy benefits.'
Other members of the ten-strong inquiry include Teresa Rees, vice chancellor of Cardiff University, Professor Bob Fryer from the Department of Health and Carol Bannerman, the principal of Bolton College.
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