Ruskin College event considers how lifelong learning can support the UK economy going forward
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Former Secretary of State for Education and Chair of the Council of Labour Lord David Blunkett was keynote speaker at a discussion event – ‘The Skills Revolution - can lifelong learning save the UK economy’ – held in November at the Ruskin Room in Exeter College, Oxford.
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The event was hosted by the National Educational Opportunities Network (NEON), which aims to widen access to higher education and Ruskin College, part of the University of West London. The discussion was one of a series of ‘Ideas, Inequality and Action’ events.
The programme was introduced by Professor Peter John CBE, Vice-Chancellor pf UWL and Principal of Ruskin College, who reminded the audience of Ruskin's prestigious history of providing learning and education opportunities to people from working-class backgrounds and its longstanding ties with the Labour party.
Lord Blunkett gave an inspiring and uplifting speech to an audience drawn from the higher education sector, adult learning, academia, and policy development. He pointed to the need for cross-sector collaboration to drive forward a lifelong learning agenda.
Two of his key themes, the importance of technological developments and the case for a tertiary education system in England, were taken forward by the speakers that followed him. Nimmi Patel, Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK, argued that from an employer’s perspective, the government’s mantra on rip off degrees was not helpful. Businesses would rather see an environment where the kind of cross-sector working Lord Blunkett promoted was encouraged.
James Robson, Director of the Centre for Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) and Associate Professor of Tertiary Education Systems, argued that to realise the vision of a more unified tertiary sector, working in the interests of learners from all backgrounds, a more strategic approach extending over a 10 or 20 year period was needed from policymakers.
The discussion that followed the speakers brought home the reality that while collaboration across sectors can produce the skills that the UK needs, achieving this goal will not be easy. It will require new thinking and leadership of thought and action, something that Ruskin will continue working towards.
In 2024, Ruskin College will be celebrating 125 years since its foundation. A series of events is planned, bringing together leaders from across education and society to develop solutions to the most prominent challenges the UK faces.
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