DNCG backs report calling for greater collaboration between colleges and universities

DN Colleges (DNCG) has welcomed a new report calling for a major “step change” in collaboration between further education (FE) colleges and universities to address the UK’s growing skills shortages and widen access to higher-level learning.

The report, Partners in Progress: Colleges at the Forefront of Technical Education, has been published by the Lifelong Education Institute (LEI) in partnership with the Mixed Economy Group of Colleges (MEG), argues that breaking down long-standing barriers between FE and HE is essential to boosting economic growth, meeting urgent skills demands, and widening participation among learners from diverse backgrounds. It highlights the essential role FE colleges play in delivering higher-level technical education, noting that they currently provide:

• 80% of Higher National Certificates (HNCs)
• 61% of Foundation Degrees
• 53% of Higher National Diplomas (HNDs)

Despite this significant contribution, many colleges still face a power imbalance within traditional HE partnership models, alongside a lack of recognition for their role in designing and delivering higher technical education.

DNCG has backed the report’s call for more equitable collaboration between FE and HE sectors. The institution also supports the emphasis on acknowledging the critical skills colleges deliver to support regional industries and economic growth.

Jon Ridley, Chair of the Mixed Economy Group (MEG) and Principal of Newcastle College, added: “For too long, colleges have been seen as a route into higher education and not as providers of high‑quality higher technical education themselves. Across the country, thousands of young people and adults are undertaking first-class higher education training and studies at their local college. If we are serious about addressing the government’s targets for participation in higher technical skills, then a re-examination of the traditional Further and Higher education relationship is required, and the critical role of colleges in providing the skills needed to boost our economy, locally and nationally, needs to be fully recognised and rewarded.”

The report outlines several recommendations to strengthen partnership working across the tertiary system, including:

• Financial incentives for co-designed and co-delivered FE‑HE courses
• Streamlined awarding powers to help colleges expand Higher Technical Qualifications
• Mandatory joint governance, ensuring FE and HE expertise sit on each other’s boards
• Stronger local planning, with universities required to engage actively in Local Skills Improvement Plans

These recommendations closely align with the ongoing work of DNCG, which maintains strong relationships with university partners such as the Universities of Hull, Lincoln, Huddersfield, and Sheffield Hallam. The Group also plays a key role in the region’s Institutes of Technology, acting as lead partner for the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (SYIoT) and participating in the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology (LIoT).

Daniel Bown, Vice Principal of Higher Education at DNCG, said, “As a contributor, we strongly welcome the publication of Partners in Progress. This report captures with clarity and purpose the essential role that colleges play within a modern tertiary education system – one built not on competition, but on genuine partnership. Its findings reinforce what we see every day: that colleges are uniquely positioned to widen participation, respond rapidly to employer needs, and provide high‑quality higher education in the communities that need it most. By placing further and higher education on an equal footing, and by advocating for a policy and funding environment that enables deep, strategic collaboration, this publication offers a compelling case for the future. It is only through sustained partnership between FE and HE that we will meet the country’s skills objectives, support economic growth, and ensure that lifelong learning becomes a reality for all.”

Recruitment to higher education courses across DNCG remains strong, and the Group continues to expand its offer, including new Degree Apprenticeships and programmes aligned to the upcoming Lifelong Learning Entitlement. Through its partnerships and widening participation initiatives, DNCG works to address local higher education gaps and raise attainment in qualifications that support regional industries and career pathways.

Read the full report here.