New Frontiers for College Education International Perspectives

The college sector is facing a growing number of new challenges caused by technological change, globalisation and the growth of mass higher education. New Frontiers for College Education considers the impact these changes have had and explores the developing role of college education in countries throughout the world. Whilst analysing the issues associated with providing high quality vocational education and training, the book also reflects on the role of colleges in widening access to both further and higher education. Drawing together contributions from leading international academics, policymakers and practitioners, the book explores common themes across these diverse societies, as well as some of the key challenges experienced within individual countries. It considers the distinctive contributions that colleges can make in responding to these challenges through apprenticeships and other types of vocational education and training. Contributors discuss the growing emphasis on creating more integrated systems of tertiary education, recognising that colleges and universities are now expected to work more closely together and that these diverse demands can be difficult to reconcile. Providing an authoritative and timely analysis of the changing role of colleges in contemporary society, this book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and postgraduate students in the areas of further and higher education, vocational education and training, lifelong learning, and skills development. It should also be essential reading for policymakers, as well as practitioners working in colleges and other institutions of higher and further education.

Section 1 The changing context for colleges 1 New Frontiers for college education: the challenges. Jim Gallacher and Fiona Reeve 2 Technical and professional education – a defining role for further education colleges? Martin Doel3 Post Leaving Certificate Education in Ireland: Managing Different Goals Emer Smyth 4 New frontiers in college education Paul Little Section 2 Skills, colleges and vocational education and training 5 FE colleges in England and the skills policy agenda Ewart Keep 6 SkillsFuture: Breaking New Ground, Creating New Pathways Ng Cher Pong 7 The art of balance: how Chinese vocational education integrates with industry Ni Tang and Dayong Yuan Section 3 Colleges and vocational qualifications 8 Apprenticeships and social mobility: real choices for young people Conor Ryan, (Director of Research and Communications Sutton Trust) 9 Is there a higher level skills gap that colleges can fill? Fiona Reeve and Jim Gallacher 10 How are ‘applied degrees’ applied in Ontario colleges of applied arts and technology? Gavin Moodie, Michael L Skolnik, Leesa Wheelahan, Qin Liu, Diane Simpson, and Edmund G. Adam 11 Problems and Challenges of Full-time and School-based VET in Germany Thomas Deissinger Section 4 Relationships between further and higher education 12 Seeking distinction and addressing inequalities: an analysis of new times for college-based higher education in England Anne-marie Bathmaker 13 Social justice and widening access to higher education in Scotland: the role of Scottish colleges Sheila Riddell and Lucy Hunter Blackburn 14 The American Community College: Complex Missions, Challenging Reforms Kevin J. Dougherty, Hana Lahr and Vanessa S. Morest Conclusions 15 Challenges for college education: reflections and some conclusions Jim Gallacher and Fiona Reeve

Jim Gallacher is Emeritus Professor of Lifelong Learning at Glasgow Caledonian University. Fiona Reeve is Senior Lecturer in Lifelong Learning at the Open University.