26/05/2010

Colleges Meeting the Challenge  

Major challenges, including expectations of doing more with less year on year, transforming post-16 education arrangements, and continuing to raise standards will be met head on at the ColegauCymru / CollegesWales annual conference on 26 and 27 May 2010 at the Hilton, Cardiff in the company of Cabinet members, business representatives, Estyn, academic experts and top performing college leaders.

Chief Executive of ColegauCymru / CollegesWales, John Graystone, said: “Colleges in Wales are a safe pair of hands. They are fully committed to raising standards and widening opportunities. They are known as education’s ‘high quality sector’. But they are facing major challenges including the expectation to deliver more learning with less funding year on year, and with the promise of worse to follow. They are also tasked with growing Wales out of the recession to keep pace with competitor countries that are developing highly skilled workforces and gaining a competitive edge over us.

Wales’ further education colleges are fully committed to meeting these challenges.  

“Colleges in Wales are intent on learning from the best. And the best will be at the ColegauCymru annual conference, where there will undoubtedly be creative discussions that will inspire and spur new action among the leaders of Wales’ colleges.”

The senior lineup of speakers include:

• Jackie Fisher CBE, Chief Executive of the top performing Newcastle College Group
• The Institute of Education’s renowned scholar and author, Professor Emeritus Frank Coffield
• Dr John Graystone, ColegauCymru Chief Executive and a UK expert on college governance
• David Rosser, Director of CBI Wales

In addition, two Cabinet members: Leighton Andrews AM, Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, and Lesley Griffiths AM, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, will outline the expectations of the Welsh Government as we move forward in ever more challenging times.

Dr Graystone concluded: “Some people look at challenges as the end. We don’t. Colleges in Wales are delivering top quality education and training for learners and businesses across Wales. They will need to think creatively to continue to do so. But do so they will. Colleges are ready to meet the challenge.”