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About FACE
The Organisation and its Mission
One important role for FACE is to facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information and practices in Lifelong Learning and Continuing Education. By promoting collaboration and innovation between providers and practitioners FACE aims to support and encourage a socially inclusive framework for Lifelong Learning, challenging exclusion and fostering full participation. As a large multi-sector network we play a key role as a pressure group, service provider, staff development forum, national policy shaper, information service, event organiser.
A Brief History of FACE
FACE, originally entitled the Forum for the
Advancement for Continuing Education, was formally established
as an educational charity in 1993. Prompted by the abolition
of the binary divide in HE, the development of FACE was part
of a raft of significant changes in HE. Where there had been
universities and polytechnics (and an earlier incarnation of
FACE in the Polytechnic Association for Continuing Education)
now polytechnics became independent of local authorities and
were granted university charters with powers to award degrees
and to undertake higher level research. At the same time there
was growing recognition that continuing education, in all its
manifestations, was central to economic growth and social inclusion.
From the outset FACE was
an organisation embracing change and seeking to provide a forum
for practitioners and providers of continuing education. The Forum
provided a context where members could come together to share experience
and develop a collective voice to articulate the new agenda for
what has now become lifelong learning and widening participation.
Also from the start, there was a determination to build a member driven network rooted in the transforming HE landscape, a landscape that FACE practitioners throughout the UK were constructing. FACE represented the voice of those working, at all levels, to democratise access to HE learning opportunities.
This commitment to social inclusion is still central to FACE today. FACE membership has grown rapidly over the years reflecting the changing boundaries of lifelong learning practices. It has developed into the largest network of its type in Europe with growing national and international partnership arrangements.
FACE annual conferences have become major events in the HE diary bringing together practitioners, senior managers, policy makers, researchers and many others concerned with lifelong learning.
The issue of access to lifelong
learning opportunities has always been a key area for FACE members,
their institutions and organisations. In 2005, following a process
of consultation with members and a motion unanimously agreed at the
AGM, FACE decided to change its name (but retain our well known acronym)
to the Forum for Access and Continuing Education. As well as asking
for the views of members we also had to formally get the approval
of the Charities Commission to the change.
This change reflected the importance that members attach to access in all its different forms and suggests a stronger focus to the work and role of FACE in future.
FACE publishes the Proceedings from its Annual Conference
FACE also publishes a regular Ejournal called "FACE To FACE"
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