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1083407
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Department for Education more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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unstar this property answer text <p>The government already provides funding via the Office for Students to support subjects where the costs of teaching exceed the income that providers receive through tuition fees. This includes agricultural courses with elements of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Current rates of high-cost funding are included in the ‘Office for Students: Guide to funding 2018-19’, attached.</p><p>Future funding for higher education will be announced in the forthcoming Spending Review following the Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, which is currently underway.</p><p> </p> more like this
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3343
unstar this property label Biography information for Baroness Byford more like this
1083408
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Department for Education more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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unstar this property answer text <p>Distance learning offers excellent possibilities to open up choice and opportunity to people from a diverse range of backgrounds, including those from rural areas, and the government believes it should be widely available at a range of educational levels. Student support for tuition at higher education (HE) level is available for students who want to study on a part-time basis or by distance learning.</p><p> </p><p>The National Retraining Scheme (NRS) is an ambitious, far-reaching programme to drive adult retraining. It will help individuals to respond to the changing labour market, redirect their careers and secure better, more secure jobs of the future.</p><p> </p><p>To inform the design of the scheme, the Flexible Learning Fund is supporting 31 pilot projects across England with a total value of £11.4 million. The projects are designing and testing innovative, flexible learning that is easy to access. The pilots are aimed at adults who are working, or who are returning to work, with either low or intermediate skills. A range of delivery methods are being tested; most of the projects will make use of on-line technologies to a degree, as well as ‘blended learning’ that combines online and face-to-face learning.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has previously announced that Educational Technology (Edtech) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) would be a key feature of the NRS. Technological innovation and development, including in AI, will play an important part in improving the learning experience, design and effectiveness of online training.</p><p> </p><p>The government has committed up to £30 million of funding. Working closely with the technology industry we will look to innovate, test and develop ways in which technological solutions can directly answer the specific needs of NRS users alongside all learners. Details of the funding will be announced in spring 2019.</p><p> </p><p>It is only right that HE providers offer a range of options which suit all students, and that students have a real choice about where and how to study. The Review of Post-18 Education and Funding will consider how we can encourage and support more learning that is flexible, like part-time and distance learning, and enable more people to study close to where they live. The review will report later this year.</p><p> </p><p>The regulatory system is also a means of opening up HE to a more diverse range of provision and therefore to a wider range of students. The Higher Education and Research Act, which came into law in 2017, placed a duty on the Office for Students to consider other modes of study when promoting choice and opportunity in the provision of HE.</p><p> </p><p>Through recent HE reforms, we are working to support and encourage high quality new and innovative provision that has a strong offer for students, helping providers to navigate the regulatory system and we will continue to work with new providers to tackle any barriers that might arise.</p>
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3343
unstar this property label Biography information for Baroness Byford more like this
1024226
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Department for Education more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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answer
unstar this property answer text <p>​​Both the Department for Education (DfE) and Office for Students (OfS) were made aware of the decision to defer the planned speech by the Israeli Ambassador. The DfE’s Further Education/Higher Education coordinator has been in contact with the institution.</p><p>​Freedom of speech is a crucial element of higher education and government and OfS are committed to championing it and to promoting open debate and challenge. Universities are autonomous bodies and are responsible for taking their own decisions around how to manage events and mitigate risks; handling of individual cases is not dictated by government or by the OfS. The OfS has powers to intervene if providers are not following their own free speech codes of practice</p> more like this
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3756
unstar this property label Biography information for Baroness Deech more like this
1024227
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Department for Education more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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unstar this property answer text <p>The previous Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation held a free speech summit in May, where sector leaders agreed to collectively develop a single piece of guidance. The government has worked alongside sector leaders to set out key principles for universities and student unions managing free speech. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission will be publishing guidance in 2019 on how to ensure that freedom of speech within the law is upheld effectively in higher education institutions, whilst acknowledging their other legal duties.</p><p> </p> more like this
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3756
unstar this property label Biography information for Baroness Deech more like this
1024228
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Department for Education more like this
unstar this property house id 2 more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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answer
unstar this property answer text <p>The government is deeply committed to protecting freedom of speech within the law. The freedom to express views openly, challenge ideas and engage in robust debate is crucial to the student experience and to democracy. Individuals should never be in a position where they can be stopped from expressing an opinion perfectly lawfully. Institutions are required to balance risks and legal obligations with a view to ensuring freedom of speech wherever reasonably practicable.</p><p>The Joint Committee on Human Rights held an inquiry into freedom of speech in universities earlier this year, which looked in detail and collected evidence in relation to upholding freedom of speech in universities. Drawing on information from the inquiry, which found the current regulatory landscape protecting freedom of speech to be extremely complex, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and key partners in the higher education sector have worked with the Department of Education to develop a single piece of guidance, which will set out key principles. This guidance will enable universities and student unions to understand their obligations for protecting and supporting free speech.</p>
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3756
unstar this property label Biography information for Baroness Deech more like this
1105689
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Department for Education more like this
unstar this property house id 2 more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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unstar this property answer text <p>The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on UK higher education (HE).</p><p>Analysis of HESA’s ‘Student Record 2017/18’ shows that there were 2 HE institutions in England with one or more participants in agroecology[1] modules in the academic year 2017/18. These agroecology modules were all at postgraduate level at either Harper Adams University or Coventry University.</p><p>Module data for HE provided by further education colleges and alternative providers is not held centrally.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] Relevant module titles identified in the HESA Student Record were ‘Fundamentals of Agroecology’, ‘Agroecological Techniques and Practices’ and ‘Agroecological Production Systems’.</p> more like this
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1934
unstar this property label Biography information for Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer more like this
1105691
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Department for Education more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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unstar this property answer text <p>The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes statistics on staff at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Latest statistics refer to the academic year 2017/18.</p><p> </p><p>Each staff member can be recorded as teaching and/or researching up to 3 academic disciplines[1]. Counts of the number of academic staff and professors involved in the most closely related academic disciplines to those requested have been provided in the table:</p><p> </p><p><strong>Full-person-equivalent<strong>[2]</strong> academic staff by current academic discipline at English HEIs for </strong></p><p><strong>Academic Year 2017/18</strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Academic discipline</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Professors</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>All academic staff</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>C340 Entomology</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>65</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>F770 Soil Science</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>25</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>C500 Microbiology</p></td><td><p>55</p></td><td><p>445</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>C510 Applied Microbiology</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>55</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: Department for Education analysis of the HESA Staff Record</p><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><p>Figures are rounded to the nearest 5 in line with HESA’s rounding strategy.</p><p> </p><p>Staff can be recorded across more than one academic discipline, so rows in the table ought not to be summed together.</p><p> </p><p>‘Professor’ indicates a member of staff holding a contract which aligns with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association contract level 5A 'Professor'. This may undercount professors because many will fall into more senior levels, e.g. Heads of department.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] Academic disciplines are categorised using the Joint Academic Coding System: <a href="https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c17025/a/curaccdis" target="_blank">https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c17025/a/curaccdis</a>.</p><p> </p><p>[2] The definition for full-person-equivalent is available from the HESA website:</p><p><a href="https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c17025/fte_vs_fpe" target="_blank">https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c17025/fte_vs_fpe</a>.</p>
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1934
unstar this property label Biography information for Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer more like this
1087587
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Department for Education more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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answer
unstar this property answer text <p>The government values international exchange and collaboration in education and training as part of its vision for a global Britain. We are open to participation in the successor Erasmus+ scheme (2021/27) though this will ultimately be subject to wider UK-EU negotiations on the future partnership. We are considering a wide range of options with regards to the future of international exchange and collaboration in education and training, including potential domestic alternatives. As part of this process, the Department for Education (DfE) is listening to stakeholder views. We have also noted and are considering the recommendations from the recent House of Lords EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee on the future of Erasmus+.</p><p>Further to this, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, Science and Innovation meet with representatives of universities regularly to discuss the DfE agenda, and that has included the question of international exchanges following the UK’s exit from the EU.</p><p>As we progress our thinking and work on our plans for the possibility of participation in the successor Erasmus+ programme or a domestic alternative, we will continue to engage with and seek the views of sector stakeholders, among others.</p><p> </p>
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2471
unstar this property label Biography information for Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe more like this
1061390
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Department for Education more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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unstar this property answer text <p>Widening access and participation in higher and further education is a priority for this government. Everyone with the capability to succeed should have  the opportunity to benefit from a university education, regardless of their background or where they grew up. On 1 February 2019, we announced measures to tackle ethnic disparities in higher education. The announcement is attached and can also be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/universities-must-do-more-to-tackle-ethnic-disparity" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/universities-must-do-more-to-tackle-ethnic-disparity</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The new regulator for higher education, the Office for Students (OfS) has a statutory duty in regards to students who share particular characteristics, (protected under the Equality Act 2010), and where there is specific evidence that barriers exist that may prevent equality of opportunity, including those from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.</p><p> </p><p>Through Access and Participation Plans agreed with the OfS, higher education providers are expected to reduce the gaps in access, success and progression for under-represented groups amongst their students.</p><p> </p><p>Eligible 16 to 19 year olds do not pay tuition fees for post-16 further education (e.g. A Levels and approved technical qualifications). This enables young people to meet the requirement of continuing to participate in education or training beyond the age of 16.</p><p> </p><p>Eligibility to receive public funding for further education for adults (those aged 19 and above), is based on age, prior attainment and a learner’s circumstances. Skills provision is prioritised and focussed towards young adults, those with low skills and unemployed people who are actively seeking work.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the government also provides financial support to enable learners to participate in post-16 further education, whatever their financial situation. This includes contributions to costs such as transport, childcare, essential books, equipment and accommodation.</p>
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2510
unstar this property label Biography information for Baroness Whitaker more like this
1042971
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Department for Education more like this
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WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
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answer
unstar this property answer text <p>Study needs assessors of Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) determine the specific support a student requires. They are currently not required to hold an Assessment Practising Certificate.</p><p> </p><p>We recently announced the decision to allow students with Specific Learning Difficulties, such as dyslexia, who are applying for DSA to use evidence of their diagnosis from before 16 years of age. Currently, for the purposes of DSA, the person carrying out this diagnostic assessment must hold an Assessment Practising Certificate, but we are considering whether to allow alternative accreditation routes.</p><p> </p> more like this
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3453
unstar this property label Biography information for Lord Addington more like this