On 17th May 2021 an important new Research College Group will be launched.
The group represents 10 founder organisations comprised of General Further Education and Sixth Form colleges who lead in practitioner research.
These organisations have come together to bring practitioner, and other forms of post-16 education and training research, into the heart of sector organisations.
This collaborative endeavour is run by and for the sector and seeks to raise the profile, standing and value of post-16 education and training through its own research undertaken by its own community, and by leading thinking to develop forms of research and enquiry that reflect the requirements of the sector.
The 10 founder member organisations are: Activate Learning, Ashton Sixth Form College (Stamford Park Trust), Better Futures MAT (Bilborough Sixth Form), Hartlepool College, Coleg Sir Gar and Coleg Ceredigion, Hartlepool College, Lincoln College, Solihull College & University Centre, One Sixth Form, The Bedford College Group and York College. Founder individual members are Sara-Jane Crowson, Roy Halpin, Peter Shukie and Amy Woodrow.
College tutor Kerry Scattergood has been involved with Research College Group since it’s inception. She comments: “I am so proud that Solihull College & University Centre is one of the ten founder colleges of the Research College Group. We have been working hard at Solihull to raise the profile of FE research within the college and across the sector, including running FEResearchMeets. It is great to join with others and to work collectively across the sector.”
Sam Jones Chair of the steering committee comments: “Using practitioner and other forms of research to make organisational decisions is an important part of shaping the post-16 education and training landscape. Using context rich, locally conducted research can give a unique advantage to these organisations.
“We hope that through this collaborative work across the UK sector, important insights can be shared within a central point.” http://www.researchcollegegroup.co.uk