November 2011
Gearing up for FACE 2012 - an update from Damian O'Kane
The FACE publication in 2012 - Call for Papers
What else is in the News? Other sources of education news online
Gearing up for FACE 2012 - an update from Damian O'Kane
Widening Access to Higher Education in ‘Divided Communities’
As you know, next year's FACE Annual Conference is to be hosted by the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland from 4th – 6th July 2012. The conference will attract around 200 academics, educationalist and widening access practitioners largely from Europe, Canada, South Africa, Australia and the USA. The conference has four key themes; international and national comparisons; ‘Divided Communities’ (SEC, ethnicity, gender, and disability); social mobility; and regional approaches to widening access.
Abstracts are now being invited and will be accepted up to 20th January, 2012. A number of select papers will also be considered for publication in a peer-reviewed book.
Other features of the Conference include; Mayors wine reception, Gala dinner, tour of the Historic City Walls and the potential to extend your stay in Northern Ireland at preferential rates. Further details and booking forms are available at the conference website.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or any member of staff (details on our website) for further information regarding any of your queries. We hope that you and your colleagues will be able to join us for what will be an informative and enjoyable conference.
Dr Damian O’Kane
Chair, Conference Organising Committee
Member, FACE Executive Committee
NIACE Director steps down
A personal note from Professor John Storan, FACE Chair
Alan Tuckett has recently stepped down after 23 years as Director and Chief Executive of NIACE, the National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education. Alan will be familiar to many FACE members, not only for his enormous contribution in the field of adult and continuing education, but also because he has the rare distinction of delivering two keynote speeches at the FACE annual conference. I was delighted therefore to represent FACE at Alan’s retirement celebration hosted at the House of Commons. No surprise at the venue because, amongst his many talents, Alan was a supreme political operator and someone from whom, over the years, I had the opportunity of observing at close quarters and consequently learnt much from.
It is no exaggeration to say that as a direct result of Alan’s work with Ministers and Parliamentarians from all parties, the value and significance of adult learning has been constantly evidenced through his persuasive presentation skills amongst others. Think for example of how the annual Adult Learners Week (an event inspired by Alan) reminds the whole country about the life-changing nature and vital social importance of adult learning opportunities, and what a difference this makes to so many aspects of life in the UK.
I have had the pleasure and privilege, through my role as Chair of FACE, of working closely with Alan and being inspired by the depth of his commitment and the impact of his conviction that adult education is all our education. Alan Tuckett’s work has truly transformed the learning opportunities of adults and their communities. Perhaps now more than ever adult education needs us all to keep doing whatever we can to take on the legacy and inspiration that Alan leaves us with. Thank you Alan Tuckett.
John Storan
Call for submissions for the FACE publication in 2012
Every year the FACE conference generates its published proceedings but it is likely, says our editor Pete Jones, that this year’s publication will be a little different to those of previous years. For one thing, the 2012 book, entitled: ‘Which way now to widen participation: Lifelong Learning, Economy and Society’ will be distributed through John Smiths Booksellers. It will also have a stronger editorial content than previously.
This is a call for submissions for papers/chapters. At this stage we are looking for two distinct types of submissions: (a) Completed papers that were presented at the 2011 conference, and (b) Papers inspired by the 2011 conference.
Completed papers that were presented at conference
If delegates who submitted papers for conference would like these to be considered for publication by FACE please forward them to Pete Jones at pete.jones@staffs.ac.uk as soon as possible. Papers will then be circulated across the editorial panel for review. Some authors may have felt the need to revise their papers after conference; these papers are particularly welcome.
It has also been suggested that some contributed papers may subsequently be developed further for a special issue of JACE. Mike Osborne and colleagues will approach selected authors separately.
Papers inspired by the conference
The central focus of the FACE conference experience is the sharing of ideas and inspiration. It is hoped that some delegates took something away from conference that has inspired some new work or consolidation of thinking.
We are therefore asking for abstracts from delegates who did not present at conference.
Delegates considering submitting abstracts should please be aware that papers should be finished by mid March.
Authors instructions and guidelines are online at FACE publications page
Notice of Events
SEEC Annual Conference, 9th December 2011
“Credit in a Cold Climate- a new dawn?
This year’s SEEC Conference offers practitioners an opportunity to reflect on the current external HE policy climate and the challenges and opportunities it offers institutions at a time where they are developing their responses to the new agenda. The recession, the policy and funding changes proposed in the White paper and the focus on the learner as consumer, demand new solutions to rapidly changing and uncertain circumstances. The conference will examine the contribution that credit and innovative curriculum design can make to these issues.
The conference is on the 9th December 2011 at 15 Hatfields, a purpose built conference venue on London’s South Bank, and within easy walking distance from Waterloo, Blackfriars and Southwark stations.
The conference will open with a keynote presentation from Dr Geoffrey Copland, who was the Vice- Chancellor of the University of Westminster from 1996-2007. Now retired, he is Chair of Thomas Wall Trust, President of ASET and Chair of the HEFCE Sustainable Development in Higher Education Steering Group. His presentation will focus on the current policy agenda. The second keynote of the day will be by Dr Phil Cardew, who is currently Pro- Vice Chancellor of London South Bank University and he will be discussing the issues involved in providing flexible study opportunities that potentially challenge traditional course structures such as funding, concepts of level and progression. There will be a number of workshops to choose from, delivered by practitioners, which offer an opportunity to network and benchmark current practice. Details of these can be found on the attached programme.
Conference fees: SEEC members, £130, Non-members £175
Places can now be booked via the SEEC website.
Groundwork Derby & Derbyshire
Groundwork Derby & Derbyshire, a registered charity, have announced their range of sold services for schools for November 2011 - July 2012. Their Community & Environment Team offers tailored services to schools across the city and county that engages children in stimulating, environmental educational activities designed to increase their confidence, their skills and their awareness of the natural world.
Groundwork helps teachers and pupils to make the most of their school grounds, arrange guided wildlife walks around local nature reserves, organise food growing and cookery sessions and much more. They also offer a Groundwork Green Learners programme with interactive sessions for children on Energy, Waste and Recycling, Food Production and Water. For more information, visit their website.
What else is in the News?
For the latest UK Education headlines and stories go to the FACE News Feeds page where you'll find the online news feeds of several of the sources listed below gathered together on one page for easy access.
The Department for Education news page http://www.education.gov.uk/news
The Guardian http://education.guardian.co.uk
The Independent http://news.independent.co.uk/education
The BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/default.stm
The Times Higher Education http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk
This is the November 2011 eBulletin from FACE (the Forum for Access and Continuing Education), offered to practitioners, policy-makers, researchers and others with an interest in access, widening participation and lifelong learning. The eBulletin is sent to colleagues in the sector, members and non-members alike. If you would prefer not to receive it, please contact James.Tate@uwe.ac.uk and your details will be removed from the circulation list.
If you wish to respond to anything in this eBulletin or contribute to the December 2011 issue, please email Jim at James.Tate@uwe.ac.uk