A culmination of two years of research – through surveys, focus groups and seeking the perspectives of experts from across the higher education landscape – this report offers insights into how academic partnerships are created, managed and developed in the UK.
Our research is a response to concern from higher education providers that academic partnerships remain poorly understood. While various sector bodies have produced reports on good practices related to components of academic partnerships, a crucial piece of the puzzle was missing: practical information on the way academic partnerships are managed in the UK.
This report reflects the insights of academic partners; those who award and those who teach, as well as students who learn as part of these partnerships. Its intent is to offer context to those seeking to understand more about academic partnerships, as well as identifying the strengths, opportunities and risks in the most common partnership models in our current system.
Through this research, we set out to find out more information on why and how partnerships form, how they are perceived as valuable, and the costs associated with setting up and running them – as well as the processes involved when they need to end or change. We also sought more information on methods for managing quality and risk, and the effects of regulation on partnerships.
Crucially, we sourced this information not just from awarding and teaching partners, but also from the students who study in partnership arrangements, providing a comprehensive view of how these partnership components fit together and create choice and opportunity.
Our findings highlight themes of transparency and collaboration as integral to managing risk. While common mechanisms for risk management exist, more support for students is necessary. The regulatory environment continues to impact partnership formation as the sector heads towards the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), bringing uncertainty about the best ways to embrace opportunities.
The report concludes by recommending further work on data sharing arrangements, student support services, complaints handling, and appeals processes. We also call for a directory of those seeking partners, addressing the challenges of partnership creation.
Ongoing efforts are needed to understand the evolving partnership landscape both now and into the future. More awareness of the practical approaches to partnerships and the shifting motivations of partners will build stronger partnerships in the future and support better policy making to deliver the outcomes students and stakeholders need.
"Pinsent Masons are delighted to have collaborated with IHE on this research into the state of academic partnerships within the UK higher education sector. Transparency in relation to the nature of these relationships has long been overdue. The insights provided from the research into sector-wide norms and practices will be of value to providers and awarding bodies alike." Gayle Ditchburn, Partner, Pinsent Masons