The value of Higher Education

The value of Higher Education: IES annual public policy conference 2012.
28 November 2012, 9.30-16.00. The Commonwealth Club, 25 Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5AP.
The new student financial support system starts this year, improved information is being made available to support student choice, and there is rising graduate unemployment and under-employment. It therefore seems timely to take an in-depth look at the benefits of higher education for individual students and the wider economy, society and the labour market.
This conference will seek to examine:

• The role of higher education - is it part of the pipeline for higher skills or should we see high-level education and knowledge as an end in itself?
• What is and should be the role of higher education in facilitating social mobility?
• What is the demand for higher-level skills? Do we have too many graduates?
• What are the best ways of meeting employer demand for high-level skills? Is higher-level vocational training a viable alternative to higher education?
• How does higher education in the UK compare with that of our international competitors - does the UK system provide value for money?

Who should attend?
This high level conference is targeted at an audience of senior policy-makers, researchers, academics and practitioners. It will be of interest to anyone concerned with the future of higher education and skills and their impact on society, the economy and the labour market.
The conference will:

• Provide a comprehensive insight into the current thoughts of key policy makers about the future of higher education in the UK
• Present relevant research evidence on the social, economic and labour market impact of higher education
• Offer plenty of opportunity to question and debate the policy and practical implications of current developments

For further information email:gill.brown@employment-studies.co.uk, Tel: 01273 763400.
The IES research report Expanding and Improving Part-time HE was recently published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
The study scopes the scale and nature of part-time undergraduate provision and participation in the UK, looks at whether part-time undergraduate study in England can be expanded as an alternative for young students (those aged 22 and under) to the full-time three- to four-year model of first degree participation, and explores how undergraduate students of all ages can be encouraged and supported with their studies.