Labour¡¯s changes to England¡¯s Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) are ¡°disappointing¡± and ¡°unambitious¡±, according to the head of one of the country¡¯s leading flexible education providers.

Sally Wheeler, vice-chancellor of Birkbeck, University of London, described new guard rails that stipulate specific subject groups can be broken down into 30 credit modules as ¡°very strange¡±, given many of the subjects, such as engineering, are ones that students are generally interested in pursuing a full degree course or apprenticeship in.

¡°I¡¯ve no doubt that the sorts of courses that most of us offer around AI, cybersecurity, environment, sustainability, all of those things will be fine, but it is disappointing to see it restricted in that way,¡± she said.

The LLE will replace the current student finance system?and allow learners to access four years¡¯ worth of student loans to use on flexible education over their lives, but Wheeler, who is on the steering committee for the LLE, said the plans as they stand seem ¡°so unambitious¡±.

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She said the LLE had the potential to be ¡°revolutionary¡± for learners who want to participate in short courses, which they currently have to self-fund, but that this approach was ¡°watered down¡­with nothing definite that we can actually use to plan¡±.?

Wheeler said it would be difficult to offer single modules from degree courses because they are ¡°not designed to be freestanding in any way at all¡­It¡¯s part of a degree package¡±.

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The documents published by the government last week set out requirements for universities wishing to accept learners through the new funding model, with only those with a TEF rating of gold or silver eligible for ¡°a quick and unbureaucratic approval process¡±.?

This means that Birkbeck ¨C which specialises in adult education and part-time, flexible study ¨C may face extra hurdles?owing to its bronze rating.?

¡°The TEF thing is very strange, because [the Department for Education] refer to gold, silver and bronze TEFs as marks of excellence,¡± Wheeler said.

¡°What we haven¡¯t had is any explanation for why it should be like this, particularly as most universities that have a gold or silver are not praised for their flexibility, whereas we are praised by [the Office for Students] for the flexibility we afford our students.

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¡°For us to have to provide additional information when we¡¯re known for providing flexible courses seems very strange.¡±

The process for acceptance on to the scheme is not yet clear, nor are the additional requirements that providers without a gold or silver TEF rating will be subject to.?

¡°As usual with this government, everything is promised in the future,¡± said Wheeler.

In a letter to institutions sent at the time the guidelines were published, skills minister Jacqui Smith said the government was ¡°deliberately taking a phased approach¡± and would ¡°look to expand the reach of the LLE over time¡±.?

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helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com