24 October 2025
Birmingham, the International Convention Centre, mid-November, it must be the Association of Colleges (AoC) conference. For many, it is a very well-trodden path, and one that sometimes becomes difficult to get excited about. David Hughes once more striding onto stage, trying to come up with yet another original opening and setting a positive, less weary tone for the conference. However, this year could be a little easier, as a UK government has suddenly realised that the FE sector could just be the solution to many of the UK’s problems.
Could it be that real funding matches ambition, and that there is a genuine shift away from “the only path is HE”, to another path which is about developing skills that lead to meaningful and in-demand employment, tied in with a national industrial strategy and regional priorities?
Are schools going to be permitted to push vocational education rather than being measured against how many progress into higher education, and Ofsted and the metrics support this? This impetus to present apprenticeships and technical colleges as a true alternative in developing people and setting them onto a career path is surely to be welcomed.
There is a resurgence in technical colleges and further funding for T-Levels, as well as curriculum and qualification reform with the new ‘V’ levels for instance. The new post 16 education and skills white paper has generally been well received and again is a welcome dollop of positive news for the sector. There are announced changes to regulation via the OfS and greater focus on FE delivering and expanding. The societal and economic impact of this, IF seen through effectively, and boy is that a big IF, could be significant, despite the recent and best efforts of the unions to throw the preverbal fly into the college ointment.
However, David, this is certainly manna from heaven.
With potentially more focus and money coming into the sector there are opportunities for colleges to grow and develop. FE mustn’t blow this opportunity to really position itself as being part of the solution.
To take advantage of this increased attention and support for the sector, are senior leadership teams of the right size and shape? Are governing bodies high performing with the right culture and the right people around the table – for example, does the board get ‘AI’? Can interim support provide some external expertise to be a catalyst for change and development? Colleges need to position themselves to fulfil their purpose in a changing environment.
Growth brings opportunity, but only if leadership capacity grows with it – having the right leadership at this time will be imperative, and this is why we are exhibiting at the upcoming AoC conference in the main hall. Do come and speak to Paul Aristides and Paul Horgan, talent advisory experts, and discuss your leadership changes, developments at board level and how your college can best position itself to thrive in this new era of further education.
Board Governance: Opportunities for Improvement | AQ
Connect ahead of the conference:
Paul Aristides: paul.aristides@andersonquigley.com / 07743 927988 / LinkedIn
Paul Horgan: paul.horgan@andersonquigley.com / 07702 650530 / LinkedIn
