Morning, Monday, 7th December 2026
Online
This conference will focus on next steps for higher education access and participation in England. The agenda will look at policy, funding and regulation, institutional strategies for outreach and admissions, as well as new learner pathways and student finance, including for part-time, mature and postgraduate entrants.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to consider implications of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper for participation and system design - with targets for two-thirds of young people to enter higher-level learning by age 25 by 2040, and a sub-target of at least 1 in 10 going into study at levels 4 and 5. Delegates will discuss what the greater emphasis on higher-level technical and work-based routes means for widening participation, learner choice and progression, alongside how financial pressures across the sector may affect providers’ ability to sustain access activity.
The agenda will also examine priorities for equality of opportunity, student outcomes and social mobility in the context of changes to tuition fee limits and student support, and implementation of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement as applications open and modular provision begins. Areas for discussion include affordability and participation, and practical requirements for delivery including provision of more flexible forms of study.
Implications of greater emphasis on skills and technical education will also be discussed, with the Government's New Deal for Young People announced in June 2026, and its focus on youth apprenticeships and training. Discussion will consider ambitions to achieve greater parity of esteem between academic and technical pathways, including the consequences for learner choice, progression and access to HE, and priorities for learners, providers, regulators and employers as routes through FE and HE become more diverse.
Flexible pathways, funding & affordability
The agenda will examine priorities for learners, providers and employers as provision becomes more flexible and modular, looking at participation, progression and learner success.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- policy: implementation of the White Paper - participation targets - reform of the Strategic Priorities Grant and alignment with priority sectors
- fees & funding: inflation and quality-linked uplifts - the freeze on classroom-based foundation year fees - implications for provider planning and financial sustainability
- affordability:
- accommodation, transport and living costs
- targeted maintenance grants from 2028/29 for learners from low-income households on priority courses - bursaries and hardship support
- degree apprenticeships: learner demand and access to opportunities - employer engagement, delivery capacity and regional availability - implications for participation and progression
- flexible provision: LLE from January 2027 - credit transfer, recognition of prior learning and coordination between institutions and sectors - modules of HTQs and priority level 6 courses
- youth measures: the Youth Guarantee and the Government’s New Deal for Young People - the Jobs Guarantee and Youth Jobs Grant - apprenticeship incentives
Regulatory framework, quality & accountability
Further discussion is expected on the evolving regulatory context for quality, including Access and Participation Plans and the Office for Students’ developing approach to quality assessment, student outcomes and equality of opportunity. Delegates will also consider practical questions around data, evaluation and accountability, and approaches to provision where student outcomes are weak.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- access regulation:
- revised approach to Access and Participation Plans - Equality of Opportunity Risk Register and intervention strategies - staggered submission of new plans taking effect from 2027/28
- supporting continuous improvement while recognising differences in institutional mission and student population
- quality assessment:
- TEF integration - further consultation anticipated later this year
- redefinition of Bronze and treatment of Requires Improvement rating - proposed limits on student recruitment and links between ratings and funding
- student protection:
- proposals for a new approach - provider responsibilities, transparency and accountability
- regulatory oversight and proportionality - implications for specialist and smaller providers
- scope of regulation: plans for OfS to become primary regulator for level 4 and above - registration requirements - what closer alignment means for FE colleges delivering HE
- evidence & evaluation: measuring impact of interventions - provider dashboards and participation data - identifying persistent disparities in access and progression
Outreach, admissions & participation
Planned sessions will examine how institutions and policymakers are approaching widening participation, including priorities for outreach and admissions, regional disparities in opportunity and the relationship between participation objectives and local skills needs. Discussion will also draw on the ongoing work of the Higher Education Access and Participation Task and Finish Group, including its focus on regional disparities and the gap between learners qualified for HE and those who enter it.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- contextual admissions: role in promoting equality of opportunity - consistency and transparency of criteria across providers - evidence on outcomes for contextually admitted students
- outreach & participation: partnerships between schools, colleges and HEIs - Uni Connect and attainment-raising activity - targeting areas with lower rates of progression to HE
- place & partnerships:
- LSIPs, employer partnerships and placements - alignment of participation with regional labour market needs
- Skills England's Annual Skills Report and Sectoral Skills Needs Assessments
- access for underrepresented groups: care leavers, estranged and disabled students - part-time and mature learners - postgraduate study
Progression pathways & student outcomes
Further discussion will focus on routes into and through HE as post-16 provision becomes more diverse, including progression from technical education, continuation and attainment, and support for students with differing needs and circumstances.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- technical routes:
- what placing technical and academic routes on an equal footing means in practice - implications for learner choice, simplifying progression routes and access to HE
- improving recognition and progression from T Levels into HE - the first V Levels from September 2027
- phased defunding of AGQs from autumn 2027 - Foundation and Occupational Certificates - progression for learners with lower prior attainment
- continuation & attainment: academic, financial and belonging support - awarding and progression gaps between learner groups - support for commuter students and those in paid work
- student outcomes: outcomes for part-time, mature and postgraduate learners - progression into further study and employment - addressing differences in outcomes between learner groups
- delivery: staff capability and resources for outreach and student support - sustaining bursary, hardship and outreach budgets - collaborative delivery models and shared services
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates.
