TO BE PUBLISHED October 2025
Starting from:
£99 + VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will consider next steps for Lifelong Learning Entitlement and priorities for its rollout in England in 2026.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to assess the LLE’s phased rollout and challenges facing universities, further education providers, and employers in adapting to the new funding system. Areas of discussion include preparations for modular learning, the structure of student finance for lifelong learners, and the potential impact of delays on stakeholder confidence.
Sessions will explore how the LLE can provide a flexible, learner-driven model and priorities for enabling stackable qualifications and credit accumulation. Delegates will discuss credit transfer between institutions and the efficacy of the financial model in meeting evolving needs of lifelong learners. Preparing providers for delivery and addressing administrative challenges will be central to discussions.
Further sessions will consider the role of employers and industry partnerships, and how the entitlement aligns with regional skills shortages, workforce demands, and broader economic aims. Delegates will examine how the system can best support mid-career retraining, including potential incentives to drive employer engagement, and the adaptability of the framework for sectors that have rapidly changing skill requirements.
With the agenda currently in the drafting stage, overall areas for discussion include:
- priorities for LLE rollout: institutional preparedness - delays to implementation - maintaining stakeholder confidence
- employer engagement and skills alignment: meet workforce needs - support for upskilling and retraining - strategies to improve partnerships between HEIs and employers
- funding LLE: assessment of financial sustainability - government funds per student - strategies to improve collaboration - financial impact on HEIs - impact of delays to implementation - learning from international models
- design and delivery: modular learning, stackable qualifications and credit accumulation - value for money - course structure and delivery - pathways for progression - meeting skills gaps
- widening participation: raising awareness and engaging learners - regional upskilling and employer partnerships - barriers to participation - supporting social mobility and economic inclusion
