New HEPI Policy Note Calls for Unified Lifelong Learning Strategy to Enhance Workforce Skills in the UK

Today, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Instructure have published a new Policy Note: Aligning the Lifelong Learning Entitlement and the Growth and Skills Levy: how these policies could work together under a new Government.

The Policy Note, co-authored by Rose Stephenson, HEPI’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, and Nathalie Hulbert, Instructure’s Content Marketing Manager, highlights the need to unify the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) and the proposed Growth and Skills Levy (GSL) policies to support England’s evolving educational landscape.

As demand for skilled workers rises and England’s employers look for more flexible and targeted training solutions, a Commission of leading experts from across the higher education sector have examined the policies and recommended a unified approach to benefit learners, providers, and employers. The report emphasises the need for flexibility in education and training to equip learners at every stage of their careers.

Key Findings

• The Lifelong Learning Entitlement and the Growth and Skills Levy risk being implemented as two stand-alone policies. Urgent consideration is needed on how these two policies will overlap and interact.
• These policies span the higher and further education sectors. Understanding the intertwining nature of these sectors is essential to the successful implementation of these policies.
• Existing regulatory metrics, particularly continuation and progression will be impede provision at the modular level and therefore new measures for evaluating modular outcomes are needed.

In its current format, the Commission believes the LLE policy will fail to achieve its goals, and the LLE and GSL risk being implemented as stand-alone policies rather than complementary ones. However, if executed well, these reforms have the potential to tackle the country’s worsening skills gaps and levels of social mobility. The Commission therefore recommends the following considerations and actions.

Recommendations:

• The Student Loans Company should implement a user-friendly, lower-burden approach to loan applications for modular study.
• The Office for Students should continue to consider how modular learning can be regulated appropriately without undue regulatory burden. This new regulatory framework should be developed in close collaboration with the sector. The OfS should also work closely with other further and higher education regulators to prevent regulatory overlap or contradiction.
• The Department for Education should provide clarity about how these two funding systems dovetail and, thus, support a seamless road to lifelong learning.
• The Department for Education should consider developing a mechanism for employers to fund modular learning in the academic pathway, allowing the learner to both self-fund and be employer-funded through their modular learning journey.
• The OfS should encourage the awarding of ‘exit’ qualifications at Levels 4 and 5 during undergraduate degree study and use these as stepping stones to further study.

Stephan Fortier, Regional VP – UK and Europe, Instructure, comments:

The future of the UK’s economic growth depends on our ability to bridge the skills gap between education and industry. For universities to effectively develop and deliver flexible, modular learning that aligns with industry needs, it’s essential that the new Government establishes clear policies and outlines how all stakeholder groups will be supported as changes come into effect. Industry must also support universities and higher education institutions in leading the national upskilling efforts needed to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving workforce and drive economic growth.

Rose Stephenson, co-author of the report, adds:

Our report highlights a critical need for coherence between the Lifelong Learning Entitlement and the Growth and Skills Levy. By aligning these policies, we can create a more flexible and unified pathway for lifelong learning that responds to both individual career aspirations and the evolving needs of the UK workforce. This is an opportunity to ensure that funding and training truly support growth, resilience, and inclusivity in the labour market.

The Commission calls on the Government, education providers, and industry to act swiftly to integrate these policies, which have the potential to unlock new opportunities for lifelong learning and skills development in the UK.

Notes for editors:

1. HEPI was founded in 2002 to influence the higher education debate with evidence. We are UK-wide, independent and non-partisan. We are funded by organisations and higher education institutions that wish to support vibrant policy discussions, as well as through our own events. HEPI is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.
2. Instructure is the creator of Canvas, the leading virtual learning environment and the foundation of the Instructure Learning Ecosystem. Instructure powers learning for a lifetime, supporting tens of millions of users globally and helps turn that learning into opportunities.