Partners in Progress: Colleges at the Forefront of Technical Education
Partners in Progress: Colleges at the Forefront of Technical Education
As the UK transitions toward a collaborative tertiary ecosystem, this paper, authored in partnership with the Mixed Economy Group of Colleges, explores the evolving relationship between Further and Higher Education. Partners in Progress highlights how recognising colleges as full partners in technical education, and moving toward more strategic, long-term partnerships can enhance the collective impact of both sectors.
To better address national skills shortages, the report suggests practical reforms: streamlining awarding powers for Higher Technical Qualifications, encouraging cross-sector governance, and introducing funding uplifts for joint delivery. By uniting the place-based reach of colleges with the research strengths of universities, we can create a more cohesive lifelong learning system that benefits students, employers, and regional economies.
Published:
24 February 2026
Key recommendations include:
Progressively move towards a lifelong learning vision as the guiding principle for Post-16 policy development.
Encourage greater strategic collaboration through supporting mixed models which respond to local circumstances and include all stakeholders: students, employers and providers.
Streamline the process for FE Colleges to gain HTQ awarding powers and make modules and full Higher Technical Qualifications eligible for funding through the Growth & Skills Levy.
Include a specific higher education focus in the next round of Local Skills Improvement Plans, through requiring them to include HE Access Improvement plans.
Give the Office for Students more responsibility for encouraging FE/HE collaboration through introducing a requirement to make explicit reference to collaborative relationships in future Access and Participation agreements.
Include a regulatory requirement for HE governing bodies to include FE expertise and for FE governing bodies to include HE expertise.
Provide practical support for developing strategic and structural FE/HE collaboration by providing stronger financial incentives for institutions at local level to develop multi-agency partnership work.