Enhancing collaborative provision: implications for HE/FE relationships Available to Purchase

A key objective for many higher education (HE) institutions is the development and enhancement of partnerships with sub‐regional organisations. Much of this activity takes the form of collaborative provision of intermediate level HE programmes delivered in partnership with local further education (FE) colleges. The research reported in this article, carried out in a HE institution with a substantial level of partnership programmes, was designed to enhance the quality of collaborative provision by assessing the information needs of curriculum leaders and managers of joint provision, and proposing strategies for the enhancement of information systems. The research design included a survey of the needs of HE course managers, mapping existing information sources and strategies, identifying gaps in provision, proposing strategies that would improve communication and information at all levels, and identifying implications for the HE sector in general regarding transferability of outcomes. Concludes that culture difference between HE and FE can be a strength of collaborative provision, and that information and communication technology has potential in supporting such provision through improved management of inter‐institutional information flows, and employing standardised and quality assured assessment practices.