The All Party Parliamentary Group for Adult Education has commissioned the University of Warwick’s Institute for Employment Research (IER) to undertake research which will provide insight into the needs of adult learners. It will also consider how policy and practice should adapt in the next five to ten years to increase participation and attainment. There is a particular focus on disadvantaged adults and those who may find education challenging. The research is being supported by the Group of Specialist Designated Institutions (of which WEA is one). The research findings will be shared with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Adult Education in July.

Interested in contributing?

Call For Evidence – IER are looking for contributions from interested individuals and institutions to build a view on the current state of policy and practice in adult education as well as looking ahead to what may need to change in the near future.

Adult Students’ Survey – IER are also looking for responses from current and recent adult students through an online survey aimed at gaining an understanding of what works and what needs improvement in current practice.

If you have any questions about either please contact sally-anne.barnes@warwick.ac.uk.

Key professions such as nursing, teaching and social work are losing thousands of potential recruits as student mothers drop out of higher education due to a lack of support from universities. New research led by IER's Dr Clare Lyonette is published today. The research, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, highlights the true scale of the pressures placed upon mothers who go to university and calls for more to be done to assist them. Read more about the project and download the reports here.

As part of the Social Sciences Festival celebrating the University of Warwick 's 50th Anniversary, the University's network on Connecting Research on Employment and Work (CREW) will be holding an event on 8th May, 11 am - 3 pm, to be held at the University's Ramphal building.

This event will identify key changes in work and employment that have taken place over the years since the University of Warwick was established in 1965. In the morning session senior scholars will review some of the continuities and changes (and how we think about them) in their fields of study. After a complimentary lunch, there will be presentations by newer members of the faculty looking ahead to future trends and practices.

Colleagues from trades unions, enterprise or training councils and other academic organisations are welcome to attend and further details of the event can be found here: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/festival2015/eventprogramme/friday8thmay/looking_back_v3.pdf

Dr Charoula Tzanakou has been selected to participate in the workshop Strengthening UK-Colombia Research & Innovation Cooperation (UK-Colombia RICO): The Role of Foresight and Horizon Scanning, funded by the British Council and taking place in Cali, Colombia on 26-28 November 2014. Dr Tzanakou will contribute to science and technology policy themes drawing on her doctoral and postdoc research on human resources in science and technology, as well as her participation in European Commission funded projects on higher education and European Research Area.

The bulletin discusses the findings from a recent study on the transferability of skills and knowledge of UK educated graduates within the European Higher Education Area. The aim of the study was to identify differences between European-mobile graduates (EMG) and those who remained in the UK after graduation; to analyse EMGs’ pathways into employment or further study; and to learn about their experiences using their skills gained in the UK in a different European country. The research showed that EMGs differ from graduates who remained in the UK, especially in terms of their previous mobility experiences, their socioeconomic background, nationality, type of higher education institution attended and subject of studies. EMGs were more likely to enter further study in their new destination, and most of them valued both the traditional academic skills and the employability skills they gained during their education in the UK. The study was sponsored by the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE). The research was undertaken by Dr Heike Behle and Dr Charikleia Tzanakou.

If you have colleagues who would like to become members of this mailing list or you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Amanda.Kerry@warwick.ac.uk.