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Flexible

All disciplines will offer a diverse range of study modes, allowing students to benefit from education throughout their lives. 

Education is a lifelong process, and we want to offer opportunities to access higher education learning at all life and career stages, including for those making a career change, continuing their professional development, or studying for personal enrichment. This means diversifying our traditional offering, and we have to rethink both access to (who is it for?) and exit from (what qualification do they leave with?) higher education.

The fall-out from the COVID pandemic with the loss of many jobs is compounding the impact of technology replacing jobs in many sectors. There is therefore a great need and important role for higher education to contribute to upskilling and retraining. We will increase our engagement with local businesses and industry to understand their needs and seek to co-create programmes. We will create not only more flexible ways to engage with learning, but also flexibility in how qualifications are achieved. To provide a genuine offer to those who are returning to higher education or accessing higher education for the first time, programmes will cater for students entering with a wider range of experiences and qualifications (including via novel pathways from further education) and for those whose needs are met by taking tailored short courses, one or more modules, one or two years of a degree programme, or an apprenticeship. 

Actions and Priorities

What are we trying to achieve?

To increase the range of different ways in which learners can access a Brunel education, providing flexible opportunities throughout their lifetimes to those who will benefit from what we offer.

Why?

The external environment is changing and to remain competitive we have to explore new educational models that allow as many students as possible to benefit from Higher Education, in a way that fits around their lives. 

Progress in 2021/2022

We have mapped our current programme offering and undertaken an opportunities analysis in preparation for Government funding announcements. The Academic Planning Group started the ‘size and shape’ discussions in preparation for a new University strategy.   

Achievement: Two members of staff have been appointed Governors at HCUC (Harrow College Uxbridge College) and will start their term of office in September 2022. 

Our priorities for 2022/2023

  • The work of the Academic Planning Group will feed into the new University strategy
  • Implement Brightspace Course Merchant to facilitate our commercial offering