Here is a list the projects Continuum is involved in currently and others that are about to begin:
Please contact us if you would like to commission the Research Team to undertake a research project.
Continuum Director, John Storan will continue as Director and Regional Advisor for Action on Access following a sucessful bid to HEFCE for the Widening Participation National Co-ordination Team contract.
The Action on Access mission is to promote inclusivity and diversity, and the broadest possible access to higher education. The team will shape and influence both policy and practice and broker dialogue between policy-makers and practitioners. It will also challenge and support the sector, working with a wide range or partners and strategic alliances to help deliver and embed widening participation.
See the Action on Access web site for further information on all aspects of the work of the team.
From left to right, the project team: Front: J Storan (UEL), C Fouche, R du Pré, L du Plessis, T Hudson (UEL), M Brits. Back: J Smit, D Mokoena, T Sutherland, J Mokoatala.
Continuum has been awarded funding for a joint project with the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) under the England-Africa Partnership (EAP) scheme funded by the DfES and administered by the British Council. It aims to support HE partnerships between England and sub-Saharan Africa and strengthen capacity in African higher education.
Economically, Gauteng is competitively weak due to high levels of unemployment and low levels of education. Wider access to higher level skills is vital for economic growth in the region. The project, Skills for Adults in the Gauteng, will address specific skills shortages and social exclusion through three strands: teacher re-education; community upliftment through the support of entrepreneurs; and developing policies and instruments for the Recognition of Prior Learning to enable adult workers to access to HE programmes.
VUT and UEL have collaborated for over three years and both universities have a strategic commitment to adult skills development and strong links with their communities. There will be a progress report on this work at the FACE conference, which will have a one day strand devoted to EAP Projects. If you would like further details of the project or dissemination event please contact Continuum.
This project, funded by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) will look at the interaction between vocational and academic higher level qualifications. This is in the context of the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) currently being developed by the QCA. The research aims to investigate the attitude of HEIs to greater interaction and articulation between vocational and academic higher level qualifications, through the use of credit transfer. This is in the context of a policy climate encouraging these interactions through Lifelong Learning Networks and greater HE/FE interactions.
The fieldwork for this project will involve talking to people at a number of HE Insitiutions with knowledge of the current relationships that the institution has with FE Colleges and the higher level vocational qualifications that they provide; and also with people who work on developing credit transfer opportunities for access to HE from vocational routes. If you would like more information about this project please contact Continuum.
This project funded by Foundation Degree Forward (FDF) will investigate the current progression routes within the cultural and creative industries (CCI) sector towards foundation degrees and beyond. It will consider the potential impact of the new 14-19 Specialised Diplomas on progression to foundation degrees and other higher education courses.
The project will involve talking to those working in Lifelong Learning Networks (LLNs), FE Colleges, HEIs accrediting Foundation Degrees and Employers providing work placements as well as learners in FE Colleges, either on 14-19 programmes or foundation degrees in the CCI sector. For more information on the project please contact Continuum.
In 2002, the Swedish Special Committee on Recruitment to Higher Education invited Continuum to create and host a number of study visits for Swedish academics who wanted to get a deeper understanding of widening participation and compare work carried out in Sweden with work here in Great Britain. In total, Continuum have orgainsed six very sucessful visits to date.
Continuum now has a new relationship with The Swedish Agency for Networks and Cooperation in Higher Education (NSHU) and is organising a series of study visits for them. The first took place in March 2007 and involved visits to three different HEIs around the country and to the Higher Education Funding Council for England. A report about this visit will appear here shortly.
To read more about previous study visits, please see the past study visits page. If you are interested in planning a study visit to the UK with us, please contact Continuum.
Continuum has been commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to undertake research on low participation rates in Higher Education in Barking & Dagenham.
This project will build on research previously commissioned by HEFCE on young peoples’ participation in Higher Education, which provided a rich and complex picture of the social, economic and cultural processes that underpin these low rates. This round of research is a further stage of geographically focused work with a direct emphasis on the facilitation of longer term HE engagement in low participation neighbourhoods and the development of transferable models of practice. The methodology is largely qualitative, and will involve a high level of engagement with young people in the borough.
The Steering Group for the project draws on a wide range of expertise from across the university including Professor David Rose (Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor), Dr Iain MacRury (Director of LERI, SMACCS), Brian Hipkin (Director of Student Services), and of course Professor John Storan and Tony Hudson from Continuum, alongside our FE partners, David Cleall (Head of Creative Industries at Barking College), and John Platten (HE Co-ordinator Havering College), with research support from Jo Finch (Havering College).
For more information about the project, please feel free to contact Karina Berzins.
For more information about the previous round of research – the Four Cities research please see http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/hefce/2007/4cities.asp
The accompanying film for this project can be found at: http://youtu.be/Dd2hrwZAhMg
Continuum will be leading a joint project: Creative Industries – Creative Solutions with colleagues from Durban University of Technology and the Creative Way Lifelong Learning Network.
The objective of the project is to improve the employability and entrepreneurial skills of Graphic Design students at DUT whilst at the same time forge stronger links between employers and education providers; improving articulation between Further and Higher Education and signposting routes from FE through to HE and into employment.
The main focus of the project will be the set up and operation of a Creative and Cultural Industries Studio/Work Laboratory within the Department of Visual Communication and Design at DUT.
Both UEL and DUT have a significant offer in subjects related to CCI, are situated in deprived multi-cultural areas and share proximity to forthcoming major international sporting events - the 2010 World Cup in Durban and the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Through research and consultancy Continuum has experience and expertise of working with employers, FE and HE partners in the Creative and Cultural Industries. Continuum’ Research Manager, Tony Hudson said: “We’re looking forward to working with colleagues at DUT to improve progression for learners.”
The programme is funded by DIUS and administered by the British Council under the Education Partnerships in Africa Programme.
For more information about the project, please contact Tony Hudson
Working with level three learners and staff in the Thames Gateway region, this project for the Creative Way Lifelong Learning Network will consider the learning histories and potential progression routes and barriers for learners on Creative and Cultural Industries related courses.
For more information on this project please see the project web page
Continuum has been working with the Higher Education Academy to identify both existing accreditation opportunities to support widening participation practitioners as well as their unmet recognition and accreditation needs.
To download the final report please visit our publications page. For more information on the project please go to the recognition and support page or contact Continuum.
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