Further and higher education

This subtopic focuses on further and higher education provision, and the impact of the major reforms to both sectors introduced by the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (HERA 2017) and the Technical and Further Education Act 2017. See News Analyses: The introduction of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 and Improving technical education—the Technical and Further Education Act 2017.

What is further education?

Further education (FE) is ‘full-time and part-time education suitable to the requirements of persons who are over compulsory school age (including vocational, social, physical and recreational training), and organised leisure-time occupation provided in connection with the provision of such education, except that it does not include secondary education or higher education’. It occurs primarily in a school or in a college of further education primarily to provide skills based training, as well as technical education.

What is higher education?

The provision of higher education (HE) in England and Wales dates back to the 12th century with the establishment of world renowned universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.

State involvement in the funding and provision of HE dates

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