The Mixed Economy Group of Colleges (MEG) represents Further Education Colleges with a significant strategic commitment to the provision of Higher Education. Members focus on the complementary aims of widening participation among those currently under-represented in Higher Education and working with employers and other bodies to ensure that higher level skills development and delivery meets the needs of individuals, communities and the wider economy.

As a representative group, MEG supports managers and leaders through open collaboration, sharing good practice, and championing the cause of College Based Higher Education (CBHE). MEG’s 45 members deliver a large proportion of the CBHE in England & Wales.

The Group’s profile is based on its measured and evidence-based approach to policy issues drawn from members’ expertise, discussion forums, workshops and from research. MEG has two major functions : as a forum to discuss and influence education policy as it impacts on CBHE; and as a practitioner focussed network actively sharing good practice, and supporting members. MEG undertakes and sponsors small scale research and is a source of informed opinion for a wide range of sector bodies and agencies, employers and the wider HE community.

The HE marketplace is evolving continuously and the increasing political focus on higher technical education presents Colleges with challenges and opportunities including : the Lifelong Learning Entitlement which has potentially explosive implications for curriculum design, development and delivery; significant strategic and operational consequences for the growing number of colleges achieving degree awarding powers; the rapid pace of Regulatory change; and increasing pressure on University/College Partnerships as new Providers emerge.