Colleges in Their Communities: A Dynamic Nucleus

The nature of further education in England, and the role of further education colleges, is changing in response to a new age of austerity, diminishing public resources, and views on the role of the State in allocating them. Economies and the further education market are becoming increasingly globalized. There is no better time for innovative thinking and adopting new ways of working. Presenting the groundbreaking work of a year-long inquiry of research, analysis, and discussion, Colleges in Their Communities is of central importance to anyone involved or interested in further education, whether vocational or community-based, based in the UK, or overseas. This essential book presents the final groundbreaking report of the independent Commission on Colleges in Their Communities, as well as case studies and a comprehensive international literature review. It recommends ways in which further education colleges can, through partnership working and a shared agenda, help to harness community energies towards positive outcomes for health, happiness, and social cohesion. The book will be of interest to those who manage and work in colleges of further education. It will also benefit policy makers and those involved in national and local government and their agencies, along with researchers in further education and community employers. The Inquiry from which this book originates was chaired by one of the leading UK parliamentary spokespersons on adult education and training, Margaret Sharp, and led by NIACE, the Association of Colleges, and the 157 Group.