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The Science and Industry ProgrammeIan Woodward

University of Leicester

Draft for Comment

ContentsSummaryIntroduction and aimsThe reasons

Innovation and competitive advantageTheories of learningInstitutional commitmentThe justification

Theory into practice: developing the productThe project teamDeveloping the teamUniversity regulationsQuality assuranceMarket research and analysisLearning from the development phase

Theory into practice: implementationPromotion and recruitmentFeesMonitoring progressThe lessons from the implementation phase

Costs and benefitsCosts: the development phase Costs and accrediting prior learningThe cost of teaching and learningBenefits

Outcomes and conclusionsWork-based learning at Sanofi WinthropPlanning individual programmes of work-based learningConclusions

Summary

One of the Employment Department (now the Department for Education and

Employment) projects to stimulate work-based learning (WBL) has been based at

Leicester University. The Leicester initiative has been at Masters level, exclusively in

science disciplines, and has the shorthand title of Ôthe Science and Industry

ProgrammeÕ. The development of WBL at Leicester has been based on MSc degrees

in Molecular Pathology and Toxicology, and Biomolecular Technology. The

corporate markets which they address are medical sciences, pharmaceuticals, and the

food and beverage industries. Therefore, both in terms of expertise and the markets

they address, the emphasis is very much on research and development.

The major aim of the project has been to develop an effective means of advanced

level training and development Ð i.e. to embed the learning processes in the

workplace so that new knowledge gained could be more easily implemented in

practice. The cornerstone of achieving this aim is the planning of tailor-made

learning programmes, agreed by the University, individual, and employer. The first

step is to profile the individual and the employing organisation. These profiles

indicate the extent to which credit for prior learning (APL) can be offered, and the

resources and time available within the employerÕs organisation to facilitate

workplace learning. From this profile, the individualised learning plan is generated

to meet the requirements of the modularised syllabus for each MSc degree. A typical

learning plan, might involve

· (a small amount of) credit given for APL

· workplace learning gained through private study (for which library facilities are an

essential)

· workplace based experience of using enabling technologies

· attendance at modules of the full-time MSc degree at the University

· a project carried out in the workplace, on which a dissertation is based.

The Science and Industry ProgrammeUniversity of Leicester

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The balance between attendance at the University, and learning at the workplace, is

decided by reference to the facilities and supervision that the employer can offer, and

an assessment of individual capabilities. All participants undertake some taught

modules at the University.

Within this broad aim, there have been a number of issues to resolve:

· the management of an educational innovation: forming and developing an

appropriate team, and ensuring support at senior levels within the University

were prime considerations. The team was composed of existing members of

staff, with the benefit that the expertise gained remained within the University

rather than being dispersed once the project was completed.

· analysing the market: given the specialist nature of the two MSc degrees, the

market was relatively narrow. In broad terms, there were three types of

organisations Ð those that did not expect to invest substantially in staff

development, those who would invest but generally had short term skills aims

and did not consider that there was value in employees acquiring further

qualifications, and those employers who did place value on staff development

and the gaining of further qualifications

· developing an appropriate product: market research showed potential demand

for an educational product which was relevant to employersÕ needs and did

not require participants to spend long periods of time away from the

workplace. By profiling both potential students and the resources available in

their workplace it was possible to design a tailor-made programme for each

individual.

· costs and benefits: the process of profiling has a dual function Ð not only does it

result in a practical learning plan for each individual, but it can also have the

commercial role of Ôclosing the saleÕ. Our experience showed that the

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process of negotiation with corporate clients could be protracted, and

therefore more expensive that first envisaged. In areas of advanced science,

there is not as much price elasticity in the market as there is, for example, in

management and business studies. Therefore the relatively high cost of

profiling cannot be met from fees alone. Work-based learning of this type can

be justified, providing the individual programmes can mesh with existing

courses, and other benefits from closer contacts with employers, such as

contract research, are considered

· accrediting prior learning: at the outset this appeared to be a significant issue,

since experience was showing that the portfolio method of collecting data for

assessment was time-consuming for all involved Ð the individual, the

employer and the University. In practice, science laboratories in the relevant

sectors maintain comprehensive records which can provide a convenient and

attestable source of data for assessment. Accrediting prior learning was

therefore a reasonably cost-effective process

· technology transfer: since the initiative was based on areas of the University with

national and international reputations for science research, the potential

existed for directly embedding new processes within the workplace. There are

indications that this is being successfully if the process has employer support.

In conclusion, the most significant contributors to success have been the

establishment of a project team which blends high level expertise in scientific

disciplines, with commitment to the idea of widening access to the UniversityÕs

expertise, and commercial acumen. Secondly, it is important to identify corporate

partners who have a commitment to staff development and to product or process

innovation. If this combination can be achieved, work-based learning in advanced

science can be highly effective.

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Introduction and aims

Work-based learning is a relatively new term in the vocabulary of education. It

describes ways through which people can learn systematically from their experience

in the workplace. As a result of an initiative by the Employment Department, there

have been a number of development projects, based at universities throughout the

UK, to set up and evaluate experiments in work-based learning. This report describes

one of the trial projects which ran from 1994 to 1996 at the University of Leicester.

Amongst the mix of these projects, the initiative at Leicester has been in some ways

unique since (i) its focus has been on a tightly defined market Ð scientists working in

the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and medical science sectors; (ii) it has

offered accreditation towards a postgraduate rather than first degree; and (iii) the

programme has been delivered by areas of the University with strong national and

international research profiles.

The ÔScience and IndustryÕ project at Leicester University was established to

1. develop, at postgraduate level, a robust system for accreditation of learning

occurring in the workplace, targeted on scientists working in research and

development roles. The workplace learning to be accredited was of two kinds:

prior (experiential) learning, gained through the ÔnaturalÕ process of

working in R&D, and project based learning gained from undertaking

practical investigation in the laboratory

2. provide a vehicle, through the continuous professional development of R&D

scientists, for technology transfer. Thus two areas of the University, both of

which have strong research records, have been directly involved in the

development and provision of the work-based learning initiative

3. ensure that the learning programmes undertaken by participants would be of at

least equal quality to the more traditional full-time MSc provision of the

University

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At the beginning of the project, in 1994, there were a number of ideas and issues

current in higher education which needed further investigation and development.

Three of these were broad themes relevant to all levels of education:

· competences: the relationship between knowledge and the ability to perform work

tasks

· competitiveness: the contribution that a better educated workforce can make to

economic competitiveness

· NTETs: the achievement of National Training and Education Targets for a better

educated workforce.

A further four areas were largely concerned with the role and impact of education on

the world of work:

· the learning organisation: the idea that continuous learning within the workplace

is essential for competitive advantage

· accreditation of prior learning: recognition of learning achievements gained

outside the normal routes of teaching and learning at university

· technology transfer: the improvement of mechanisms for transferring research

output to business and industry

· innovation: the need to bring new products and services to market quickly and

effectively.

Finally, there were two issues to take into account which concerned the

ÔbusinessÕ of managing university services:

· financial viability: the steady reduction in Government funding of higher

education meant that any new products should be financially self-sufficient

· individual and employer commitment: the market need to develop education

products which would be attractive to the corporate market, and thus, in turn

attract individuals aiming to improve their employability.

A development project which encompassed these diverse issues and ideas was

ambitious. In sum, the Science and Industry programme set out to provide a cost-

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effective means of training and development for individuals in employment, at

postgraduate level. These individuals could act as a conduit for transfer of relevant

research and technologies to support innovation. In the process, the learners could

gain a recognised qualification, at Masters degree level, which would attest to their

competences in particular specialisms. The employer would benefit from access to

the UniversityÕs research expertise, and from the development of the employeeÕs

competences as a scientist.

There were a number of reasons why work-based learning was an attractive way to

pursue these aims. Perhaps the most important was that it would necessarily involve a

three way learning partnership of the employee as learner, the employer, and the

University to facilitate the acquisition of competences in the workplace.

Each would have a vested interest. The

University would gain from improved

contacts with industry, and from fee

revenue. The employer would benefit

from both staff development relevant

to the needs of the organisation and

from the opportunity to access leading

edge research expertise. The individual

learner would achieve a recognised

qualification which should enhance

their employability.

The Employee/Learner

The The University

Employer

If the project was ambitious, there were grounds for believing that there was a good

chance of success: there was a basis at the University of successful development and

provision of postgraduate courses in collaboration with industrial partners, and there

was a project team with the enthusiasm and commitment to develop an innovative

new programme.

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This report describes how the development project was executed in practice, the

lessons to be learned from our experience, and provides brief case study evidence of

the optimal situation for the application of our approach to WBL. First, however, the

report examines the justification for investment in a WBL project to develop

specialists in scientific disciplines.

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The reasons

The Science and Industry Programme has sought to improve access to postgraduate

level qualifications in science. However, it has not attempted to substantially increase

the numbers of students studying at this level. Instead, the focus has been on

improving access for a relatively small cadre of scientists employed in research and

development laboratories. There were three major reasons for undertaking the

project:

· firstly, the economic importance now placed on innovation to produce

competitive advantage prioritises technology transfer from academic research

to industrial application;

· secondly, a view derived from theories of learning, and from observation, that

professional development activity based in the workplace could be more

effective than off-line training interventions;

· finally, there was the institutional commitment to extend postgraduate provision,

and increase employer involvement with the University.

Innovation and competitive advantage

One of the most influential modern economists is Michael Porter, best known for his

work on competitive advantage. He makes three points which are relevant to the

economic aims of the Science and Industry programme:

1. competitive advantage can only be achieved at organisation level. Constant

improvement and innovation are central to this task

2. a relatively small number of highly skilled specialists provide the driving force

for innovation

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3. it is the task of the employer to develop these individuals Ð the role of the state

should be confined to providing the infrastructure of (general) education.

The globalisation of business has generated a much more competitive environment in

which rates of innovation are a key factor in success. Innovation (though not confined

to product research and development) is itself a process. Initial ideas need to be

refined and developed, transferred into production, and must of course lead to

consumption by the market Ð an innovation which no-one uses is scarcely successful.

Nevertheless, the process of innovation often starts with research and development,

and this requires high levels of specialised knowledge and skills. Therefore an

effective interchange between academic research, industrial research and

development, and the acquisition of specialist skills could be a significant contributor

to innovation. This potential is recognised in the successful Teaching Company and

Integrated Graduate Development Schemes, and now also in the Technology

Foresight Challenge programme which supports academic-industry collaboration in

both research and development and postgraduate training.

In broader terms, the stated aim of the UKÕs National Targets for Education and

Training explicitly acknowledges the importance of education and training to

competitive advantage:

To improve the UKÕs international competitiveness by raising

standards and attainment levels in education and training to world

class levels...

The detailed national targets recognise the need for employers to make a

commitment to continuing education and training, and for 60% of the workforce to

be qualified at intermediate level, with 30% to attain qualifications which are at (the

equivalent of) higher education level. Nationally most attention has focused on

improving the supply of qualified technicians, and on expanding higher education to

produce more first degree graduates. There has been relatively less attention placed

on postgraduate level provision, despite clear evidence of market demand and of the

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effectiveness of initiatives such as the Teaching Company and Integrated Graduate

Development Schemes which support innovation through the development of

individuals at postgraduate level.

Study at Masters level is one of the fastest growth areas in UK higher education,

particularly through part-time and other flexible methods of delivery which enable

participants to continue to Ôearn while they learnÕ. The figures speak for

themselves. The Harris Report reveals that the part-time postgraduate sector grew by

52% between 1992 and 1995, outnumbers full-time postgraduate students by a ratio

of 4:1, and that these students Òare primarily studying in areas relevant to, and often

combined with, their work.Ó Crucially, however, many of these students follow

postgraduate courses in business and management. The numbers pursuing advanced

courses in science and technology are lower. Secondly, there is evidence to suggest

that many of those pursuing postgraduate degrees are doing so at their own behest

rather than with employer support: the demand for postgraduate study may well stem

more from individual than from employer commitment.

There were, therefore, two parallel streams of evidence: significant demand from

individuals for Masters degrees, and the success of a limited range of postgraduate

level programmes which met the needs of employers for both high level skills

development and made a contribution to innovation and change. The Science and

Industry programme sought to capitalise on these two parallel streams by matching

the acknowledged research expertise of the University with individuals wishing to

develop careers as research scientists, and employers requiring specialised high level

expertise in research and development. In short, it has aimed to develop excellence in

defined spheres of R&D activity, and therefore to foster the processes of innovation

with the ultimate aim of improved organisation performance. The extent to which

this might work in practice was to be tested through the implementation of the work-

based learning programmes.

Theories of learning

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The second area of justification for the project comes from the theory and practice of

learning. In recent years there has been a growth of interest in the natural process of

learning from experience (as opposed to the more formal teaching processes normally

associated with university education). This interest has been largely inspired by the

work of David Kolb. The two fundamental ideas which underpin KolbÕs thesis are

· that learning is a proactive skill

· that people learn through interaction with their immediate environment.

Employees will actively seek to learn from their workplace environment, and if

learning is to be seen as a major contributor to organisation performance, then the

workplace must provide opportunities to learn. KolbÕs work has therefore been

coupled with ideas of dynamic learning organisations which constantly refresh and

acquire new competences in order to improve organisation performance. This is not

simply a matter of encouraging employees to register on staff development

programmes. There is also the need to facilitate learning through engineering the

work environment Ð for example by forming multi-disciplinary teams and creating

opportunities for individuals to experiment.

A second influential line of thinking about learning has been Donald SchšnÕs

research into reflective practice. Professionals apply knowledge in their day-to-day

work, and can reflect on their experience to augment their stock of knowledge and

competences. The skill of reflection is one which can and should be developed, but

this takes a longer time than is needed to acquire, for example, a focused IT skill such

as learning to use a particular piece of software. To achieve the aim of developing

reflective practice, employers would need to devote substantially longer time to staff

development than is the current practice (over half of all employer-led UK training

lasts less than a week).

If theories of learning, no matter how carefully researched, are to be applied then

they must be practical. A growing number of employers now recognise the need to

develop a culture of learning within the organisation, and to improve the learning

skills of the workforce. Two of the best known examples of concerted actions to

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develop learning organisations are possibly the ÔRover Learning BusinessÕ, and

Ford EDAP schemes. However, it is still the case that many employers have a

narrower view of investment in staff development, and for them training must be

closely tied to the needs of particular jobs. If the Science and Industry programme

was to encourage learning and reflective practice within the workplace, and in so

doing contribute to the development of learning cultures, it would need to have the

appeal of relevance to employers.

The Science and Industry programme therefore needed to develop a methodology to

fuse these three aspects Ð relevance to employer needs, creation of a learning

environment in the workplace, and development of reflective practice. This was also

to be tested in practice during implementation.

Institutional commitment

In recent years, the University of Leicester has seen a substantial growth in

postgraduate provision, to the stage where approximately one third of the

complement of registered students are postgraduate, and a large portfolio of

professional postgraduate degrees is offered. The University has a distinct research

culture, and this can make postgraduate teaching and supervision attractive to staff

since there can be a relatively close relationship between research programmes and

courses for post-experience learners. As one Dean at Leicester put it ÒIt helps you to

get ideas sorted out if you know that theyÕre going to come under informed

scrutinyÓ.

If there are advantages from the relationship between postgraduate teaching and

research, offering an extensive programme of Masters degrees carries with it the

disadvantage that maintenance funding for student places is increasingly difficult to

obtain, and this can create recruitment difficulties for full-time courses, at least in the

home market. The development of flexible means of delivery, both through part-time

and distance learning opportunities has made a significant contribution to the growth

of enrolments at Masters level, since participants can continue to Ôearn while they

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learnÕ. However, part-time or distance learning would not necessarily be effective in

all disciplines. Part-time provision in science requires a potential market within

reasonable travelling distance of teaching and laboratory facilities, and the economics

of developing good quality distance learning materials as the basis for a course

requires both adequate demand to keep the unit cost affordable, and a reasonable

shelf-life for the content. The Leicester area alone would not sustain an adequate

market for part-time higher degrees in science, and the shelf life of specially written

distance learning materials for advanced science degrees would not extend beyond

two years. Neither part-time, nor distance learning approaches appeared viable as a

means of extending the market for MSc degrees in science to participants remaining

in employment.

Work-based learning offered a solution to the problem of flexible delivery of

advanced science degrees. There appeared to be three potential advantages. Firstly,

the market appeal would be much wider than the immediate vicinity of Leicester.

Secondly, there would be company sponsorship of participants, thus reducing

dependence on public sources of funding. Finally, participants could continue to

Ôearn while they learnÕ, though there would be some need to attend the University

for short periods of time. Again, the project would test in practice whether these

advantages would be realised.

The justification

In sum, the reasons for developing the project relied on three sources:

· an economic conviction that the development of high level skills in science-based

R&D, together with creation of a route for technology transfer from academia

to industry could assist with achieving and maintaining competitive advantage

through innovation

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· a conviction that a partial embedding of the staff development process within the

workplace would assist with the creation of learning organisations, and that a

well structured individual programme would stimulate reflective practice

· a conviction that it was in the interests of the University to pursue closer liaison

with employers in order to enhance the portfolio of postgraduate degrees.

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Theory into practice: developing the product

There were four important components in the development phase:

· the formation of a core project team to develop and implement the programme

· the submission and approval of University regulations for accreditation of prior

learning and of learning gained through planned activities taking place in the

working environment

· consideration of quality assurance issues

· market research and analysis

The project team

This was undoubtedly the most important aspect of success with the Science and

Industry initiative. The steady decline in public funding of higher education is

increasingly leading to an entrepreneurial culture within the University. This culture

is not uniform Ð some areas are substantially business oriented, others are in the

process of developing strategies to meet the reality of lower public finance. Since

work-based learning necessarily addresses a corporate market, it must have a business

dimension, and as a first step, it was decided to build the project on areas of the

University which were receptive to commercial ideas within education, and had

experience of similar activity. The sympathy with entrepreneurial activity was a

major factor in the success of the development process.

The core project team comprised a mix of scientific, commercial, and educational

skills, and a mix of responsibilities. The six members were drawn from three

different faculties within the University: Education and Continuing Studies, Science,

and Medicine. The team therefore operated on a matrix with its members responsible

to different line managers.

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The four staff from the medical and science faculties combined strong academic

research profiles with entrepreneurial activities Ð providing self-financing

postgraduate degrees as well as consultancy and analytical services for industry. The

postgraduate degrees included integral periods of structured work-placement

experience in industrial R&D laboratories.

The other two staff possessed both educational and commercial expertise. Their main

function in the University was to act as a catalyst for provision of continuing

professional development (CPD) activities by other University departments.

The University Director of Professional Development was responsible for overall

project management, and provided the initial impetus for the project. As part of

previous experience, he had directed a work-based learning programme though in

management rather than science, and sponsored by a single corporate client rather

than appealing across related industry sectors.

In sum, the team possessed a number of attributes which proved a sound basis for

achieving the project aims:

1. commercial and financial knowledge and experience

2. excellence in relevant scientific areas

3. previous experience of managing work placements in industry

4. and, in one case, experience of directing a work-based learning degree

programme.

These abilities were not shared out equally throughout the team, nor was all previous

experience directly relevant to the advanced scientific disciplines which form the core

of the Science and Industry programme. Commercial skills were possessed in greater

measure by the more senior members, and the experience of tailor-making degree

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provision to meet corporate requirements was confined to one individualÕs previous

responsibility for management development programmes.

Across all three areas of the University one common issue affecting the project was

resource capacity. Whilst this was in some measure a result of progressive reductions

in UK public expenditure on higher education, it was also a consequence of working

in leading edge areas of research, where it can be difficult to recruit staff. These

resource constraints effectively limited the numbers of participants who could be

enrolled on the Science and Industry programme. A potential solution to the resource

problem might have been to appoint a development officer for the duration of the

project. There were three reasons for rejecting this option:

1. there would have been recruitment difficulties, and major issues in preparing a

job specification meeting the requirements of all three faculties. Under these

circumstances it was unlikely that an appointment would have created

significant additional scientific teaching resource

2. development costs for the project would have increased, making the medium term

objective of widening the scope of provision by involving other departments

more difficult to accomplish, since on their part there would be a perception

of high entry costs

3. much of the expertise gained from the project would have been focused in the

development officer. Given the narrow range of the market, and limits on student

recruitment imposed by resource constraints, it was unlikely that fee revenue

would have been able to support a full-time post in addition to other costs for

delivering the programme. Once the initial development funding expired, it was

likely that the expertise gained would have been lost to the University.

The financial solution adopted was to provide salary compensation, from pump-

priming funding obtained from the Employment Department, for the three cost

centres involved. Though this approach did not directly create any additional

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resource, it did at least provide partial compensation for time spent on development

and implementation, and had the important advantage of embedding the expertise

gained within the established staffing complement of the University. Moreover, since

the core team was drawn from three separate faculties, there was greater opportunity

for informally promoting the ideas and experience gained from the project within the

University. Had the initiative been based in one department, the scope for informal

dissemination would have been significantly reduced.

If reliance on the established staffing complement had the two advantages of

embedding expertise and promoting (informal) internal dissemination, there was also

a short term operational disadvantage. The involvement of three separate faculties

meant members of the team were geographically remote from each other, with little

opportunity for informal contact (for example calling into each othersÕ offices,

chance meetings in the common room, or simply bumping into each other in the

corridors). Naturally this increased the difficulty of co-ordination which was more

formal in character than is the case with most development initiatives. Secondly,

there were occasional tensions between the competing responsibilities of members of

staff for research and education. Academic careers are largely built on research, and

in comparative terms research funding is significantly greater than the cash generated

by CPD activities. Whilst this was not a significant problem, the staffing of the core

team on the matrix principle, with accountability to line managers who are not

directly involved in the work-based learning initiative, could exacerbate this tension.

The core project team was supplemented by a steering group comprising

representatives of employers, Leicestershire TEC, the Single Government Office, and

the Employment Department. This group was chaired by an industrial representative,

from Unilever plc., and met periodically throughout the project cycle. The Steering

Group was charged with monitoring progress towards (quantified) objectives, and

ensuring financial probity. Given the geographic separation of the members of the

core team, the Steering Group also had a further important function Ð ensuring a

periodic meeting of the entire team for the purposes of review and planning. From

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the Project ManagerÕs perspective, certainly, this was the most valuable function of

the group.

One final, but very important feature of the core team was the extent of commitment

to extending access to specialist postgraduate education, and embedding staff

development in the workplace. There was a strong desire to see the idea of work-

based learning succeed. As one member of the team related (at a point in the project

when there was pressure on time and resource), ÔIt certainly helps to believe in what

you are doing!Õ

Developing the team

If the core team possessed a number of attributes which provided a sound basis for

achieving the project aims, there were also some gaps:

1. at the outset, there was no direct experience of accreditation of prior learning

(APL)

2. formal learning plans, agreed between the University, the individual and the

employer, and on which the quality assurance process would rest, were a

completely new area of activity for all involved

3. there was considerable educational debate at the time about the nature of

competences. How should competence based approaches be interpreted in the

context of advanced scientific degrees?

There was, therefore, a need for staff development, for the core team to gain the skills

required to achieve the project aims. Initially a formal process was tried. The core

team attended a dayÕs workshop on competences, accreditation of prior learning, and

learning contracts. This did not prove successful since there was a lack of relevance

to the actual problems confronting the team.

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A less formal approach (which owed much to RevansÕ ideas of action learning)

proved more successful. The more senior members of the team met, identified the

major issues, and developed solutions which were then tested in practice. Each

brought their own expertise Ð scientific, commercial and educational Ð to the

discussions. These meetings quickly clarified that

1. a competence based approach was inherent in the existing postgraduate courses

and would be an automatic feature of the work-based learning degree.

Students would gained a relevant knowledge base, acquire skills in the

application of enabling technologies and in areas such as health and safety,

and perhaps most importantly develop their (reflective) abilities to ask the

right questions in designing and carrying out experimentation. In short

training and development in advanced science already provided an object

lesson of good practice in the development of professional competences

2. the problems of time and cost associated with building a portfolio for assessment

of prior learning did not apply in the target market sectors. Product approval

procedures (e.g. for a new drug) necessitate that laboratories maintain records

such as comprehensive research project reports. There was, therefore, a readily

available and attestable source of information on which to base APL assessment.

In addition, there was also the possibility that some participants might already

have published refereed articles which would demonstrate their knowledge of a

specific topic area.

At the next stage, the two major issues left to resolve were a promotion and sales

strategy, and generating an effective process for designing individual learning plans

(the term learning plan was preferred to learning contract since it was felt to have a

more human rather than commercial connotation). These were dealt during the

implementation stage by informal discussion of the issues and by field

experimentation.

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University regulations

From a commercial perspective, it is of course necessary to develop a product before

offering it to the market. In the University context, the feasibility of accrediting

workplace learning depended on an adjustment to regulations for the relevant degree

programmes. These regulations and their implementation lie at the heart of the

quality assurance system, and initially it was essential to informally consult senior

members of staff to obtain the necessary commitment to creating new regulations and

piloting the innovation of accredited workplace learning.

The second step was, of course, to draft amended regulations and present these for

approval by the appropriate Faculty Boards, Board of Graduate Studies, and

ultimately the Senate. These regulations incorporate a ceiling for the extent to which

prior learning can be accredited since the University is in the business of developing

people rather than simply assessing knowledge and skills. Secondly, they permit

flexibility in the mode of delivery Ð there is no insistence on quantified periods of

time being spent in classroom or laboratory instruction. Assessment methods are

equally flexible Ð where knowledge needs to be assessed, a formal examination may

be used alongside assignments and project reports. The overall aims and content of

the programmes paralleled the requirements of the full-time taught Masters degrees,

and therefore at least the equivalent standards of quality were assured. However, to

take account of the possibility that individuals or employers might have particular

specialised requirements, the regulations also permit the creation of new modules on

the approval of a Faculty Dean. Therefore, any special needs could be quickly met

without recourse to the lengthy approval systems of the various University Boards

and Senate.

Quality assurance

Perhaps more important than the formal systems for approving new degree

regulations, is the overriding culture of the University. Firstly, there is a strong belief

in the value of academic rigour. ÔVocationalismÕ in the sense of 1:1 skills training

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is not well received. The Science and Industry project aimed to develop reflective

practice as well as extend the knowledge and skills base of participants and did not

seek to simply train scientists in narrow skills. The main thrust was ÔdevelopmentÕ

of high level competences rather than ÔtrainingÕ: all participants were required to

have a base of relevant scientific knowledge on which to build, and to be intent on

developing their careers rather than converting to a science career. There were,

therefore, no contradictions between the aims of the project and the prevailing values

of the University, though it was essential to make this point during the consultation

process.

Secondly, there is at Leicester (as at other universities) a perceived risk that employer

involvement may adversely affect the quality of learning. The University culture also

places strong emphasis on the Ôduty of careÕ which staff feel towards registered

students. Any individual failure to complete a course of study, whether for academic

or other reasons, is taken extremely seriously. Since the project required pursuit of

learning at the workplace, responsibility would be placed not only on the University,

but also on the employer to allocate resource and create conditions which would meet

the quality standards necessary for accreditation towards a higher degree. The

University quality assurance procedures would ensure equivalence in academic terms

with conventional, taught Masters study but only, of course, for successful

candidates. Should there be any significant levels of drop-out or failure on academic

grounds, the sharing of Ôduty of careÕ with employers might be seen as an

abdication of the UniversityÕs responsibility.

Experience of managing periods of work placement, integrated into the conventional

full-time Masters degrees, has shown that employers generally share concerns for

quality assurance and the Ôduty of careÕ, and may even offer resources and levels of

support which exceed the UniversityÕs own provision. However, at the outset of the

project, in 1994, direct experience of managing work placements was not widespread

within the University, and therefore there remained some residual doubt that the

involvement of employers could adversely affect standards. These doubts were not

entirely without foundation: the project-based work placements were short term in

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nature (from three to five months), and employersÕ attitudes to the workplace

learning of their own employees as opposed to ÔguestÕ students, might be markedly

different. Within the project team, there was personal experience of utilising work-

based learning as part of management development programmes, and this experience

showed that employer commitment could at times vary even within the one

organisation (and despite Main Board approval for the programme). Though it should

be emphasised that problems were very much the exception rather than the rule, a

very small number of students had been affected by, for example, increases in

workload or relocation, and on one occasion by the withholding of information

necessary for carrying out workplace enquiry as part of the degree programme. If

new degree regulations were to be approved, and the medium term aim of extending

accreditation of workplace learning to other postgraduate programmes within the

University were to succeed, then at the feasibility stage means had to be identified of

safeguarding the interests of individual students. The method chosen was the three-

way learning agreement, drawn up between the University, the employer, and the

individual, and specifying both the employerÕs and UniversityÕs obligations to the

individual learner.

Market research and analysis

Externally, there was commercial risk to consider. Under a previous Employment

Department initiative Ð High Technology National Training (HTNT) Ð the

University of Leicester had established a number of full-time, experimental courses at

Masters degree level. The HTNT initiative required market research to identify

labour market demand, collaboration with employers in the design of the courses, and

a period of project based work experience as part of each course. HTNT provided

development finance and operational costs for the intensive 12 month courses, with

the aim that they should eventually become financially self-sufficient through both

employer and individual commitment. Despite the early cancellation of HTNT, the

courses continue to operate, to attract good numbers of applicants, and to achieve

high rates of employment in relevant occupations following graduation. Therefore in

labour market terms, there were good grounds for believing that the knowledge and

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skills provided by MSc level study were in demand from employers. Whilst this was

a positive indicator, with work-based learning we needed to assess corporate demand

for an innovative staff development programme, rather than individual demand for

upgrading competences and qualifications and the subsequent success of graduates in

the labour market. Therefore, further market research to define likely demand, and

decide on a promotion strategy was essential.

The first consideration was the extent of the likely market. In the UK at least, demand

for continuing professional development (CPD) in high level scientific skills is

markedly lower than demand for training and development in management areas

which are probably viewed as more immediately relevant to (commercial) success, or

than demand for skills required by legislation Ð for example, in health and safety.

Disciplines such as management and health and safety also have the advantage of

appeal to a wide range of organisations from different sectors, and to various

functions within those organisations. The same is not true of advanced professional

development in science. The content reflects particular scientific disciplines, and

therefore inevitably faces a narrower market. It would be necessary to pay particular

attention to the sales and promotion strategy.

Secondly, there was a need to consider how this market would react to an innovative

approach to staff development. The project team had substantial contacts with

employers, through consultancy, joint research, and employersÕ involvement with

the conventional taught courses. These contacts provided a base for market testing the

idea of work-based learning, and these enquiries showed employer support Ð at least

in principle. However, previous experience within the team of educational

innovations pointed to a potential gap between Ôin principleÕ support and take up of

a new and unfamiliar product. The market for education can be conservative; in the

popular conception ÔeducationÕ means ÔcoursesÕ through either face-to-face

contact or by distance learning. It did not, at the time, generally mean accreditation of

learning in the workplace. With the development of employer strategies to establish

learning organisations, the value of accredited workplace learning may be more

widely recognised, but for the purposes of assessing the commercial feasibility of the

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Science and Industry programme, there appeared to be a significant, if acceptable,

level of risk. Had there been certainty about take-up and consequently financial

viability, there would have been no requirement for external funding. However, the

project was addressing a comparatively narrow market which might retain a

traditional view of staff development, and for these reasons the Employment

Department was approached to make a contribution to development and pilot testing

costs, over a two year period.

Market research surveys were conducted, at management level, in fourteen

organisations. The results showed that employers surveyed fell into three categories:

(a) those who expected to recruit qualified R&D scientists at postgraduate and post-

doctoral levels from Universities, rather than themselves invest in staff development

at these levels; (b) 'traditional' companies which identify a need for professional

development of scientists, but do not necessarily wish staff to gain further

qualifications; and the final category of (c) organisations which value and support

employeesÕ professional development and attainment of further qualifications.

On a survey size of fourteen organisations, it is clearly inappropriate to draw any

firm conclusions. However, the research also suggested that among other

considerations to take into account, were the emphasis being placed on Ôcore

activitiesÕ, and on ÔdownsizingÕ. The relevance of this for training and

development is perhaps summed up best in a quote from the journal Chemistry and

Industry: ÔA major obstacle to attracting students to courses nowadays is the politics

of being seen to be away from your jobÕ. Our survey research confirmed this view Ð

even among the category (c) organisations which were supportive of CPD leading to

higher qualifications, there was considerable interest in a mode of delivery which

both offered relevance to strategic aims and meant that employees would not need to

be absent from the workplace for substantial periods of time.

Learning from the development phase

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Overall, the most important aspects of product development were the human

dimensions rather than the systems for establishing accreditation procedures.

Forming the right team was crucial. An important consideration was a blend of

· relevant experience and direct contact with the market

· commitment to the idea of extending access to higher degrees

· a significant science research profile which was recognised by the market

· educational ideas matched with business skills.

The general culture and values of the University were supportive of the initiative:

these place emphasis on ensuring the success of individual participants, and therefore

a great deal of care was taken to develop an approach which sought to identify

employers with a strong commitment to the development of their employees. Market

research showed that around 33% of organisations in the target sectors might show

this commitment, and that relevance to employer needs plus flexibility would be

critical factors in attracting registrations.

The team operated on a matrix, with different members responsible to different line

managers. It was also drawn from three separate faculties of the University, and this

meant that there was a geographic as well as organisation distance between team

members which made co-ordination slightly more complicated. The alternative would

have been to recruit on temporary contracts a distinct and tightly focused team using

external funding. However, it was unlikely that this approach would have created

significant additional science teaching resource, and at the conclusion of the funding

period the expertise built up by the contract staff could have been lost to the

University.

The development of the product was largely a matter of developing the project team.

Formal approaches to staff development were less successful than team meetings

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which identified the issues, and proposed solutions which could then be tested and

refined in the implementation phase.

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Theory into practice: implementation

As with product development, implementing the programme also involved linked

and overlapping stages:

· promotion and recruitment: devising methods for attracting enquiries, converting

these into registrations, and designing the tailor-made programmes to meet

individual and employer requirements

· fees: calculating the costs of the programme, and setting fee levels which were

appropriate to the market

· monitoring progress: commencing the study programmes and successful progress

towards the goal of gaining a Masters degree.

Promotion and recruitment

In practice, the predictions from the market research were substantially accurate.

This meant that considerable promotion effort was required to identify category (c)

organisations, and to recruit suitable participants to meet target registration numbers.

Doubts about the conservatism of the market also proved accurate. The promotion

strategy which emphasised work-based learning was less successful than advertising

opportunities for part-time study. Quite simply, the term Ôpart-timeÕ was one which

the market recognised and understood, and it was important to use this terminology

to attract enquiries. In the process of converting these enquiries into registrations, the

approach which emphasised meeting both individual and employer needs was

decisive when there was an apparent choice between different Ôpart-timeÕ courses.

Personal contact with both individuals and management was also important to

demonstrate the commitment of the University to offering a customised programme.

The main promotion channels were to provide information on the opportunity to

existing contacts, to distribute a carefully targeted mailshot, and to advertise in

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professional journals. In addition, a stand at an appropriate exhibition was mounted,

and advertising was ÔdistributedÕ on the Internet. A brochure was produced for

inclusion in the mail-shot, to distribute at the exhibition, and as a follow-up

procedure to enquiries generated by personal contact and by advertising.

Without doubt the most effective strategy was personal contact, with enquiries

generated from the mailshot taking second place, and advertising in professional

journals Ð third place.

Understandably, the idea of work-based learning was new to many employers.

However, the prospect of undertaking staff development which is relevant to the

needs of the organisation, and does not require lengthy periods of time away from the

laboratory, was and remains attractive to those employers who are supportive of staff

gaining further qualifications. Equally important, this prospect may also, in current

conditions, be attractive to employees who might not wish to risk job security by

campaigning for training and development which is not immediately relevant to the

employerÕs interests. A dual approach, appealing both to the individual and to

management, proved essential.

During the implementation stage, the market for the programme, did not (of course)

remain stable. The pharmaceuticals sector was affected by a succession of take-overs

and mergers. This instability led to a hesitation to take decisions on staff development

programmes. Secondly, the process of ÔdownsizingÕ led not only to less time being

available for staff to pursue lengthy development programmes, but also to less

management resource being available to consider plans for staff development.

Therefore the process of negotiation with employers took much longer than

anticipated. Finally, but importantly in the context of the relatively narrow market

being addressed, one potentially major client took a decision to emphasise

management training in its staff development policy and this meant a further

reduction in the potential market.

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In commercial terms, enquiries have to be converted to sales, and while there was

little hesitation in offering the programme to employer contacts with whom a

personal relationship had already been established, negotiating with unknown

company managers was a new departure for a number of the team. Academics, after

all, have their primary interests in research and teaching Ð direct selling is largely

outside their experience. As one team member put it: ÔI thought I was going to the

firm to profile a potential student, not to sell the programme. If IÕd known in

advance IÕd get involved in selling I probably wouldnÕt have gone!Õ Nevertheless,

this was a successful sales visit, and one which gave confidence and new skills to the

team member.

The development of pro forma for profiling the employer organisation and the

individual student was also a problem-solving process. The principles of assessing

prior learning through attested evidence, of determining areas where the individual

required further training and development, and of matching these with the capacity of

the employer to provide resource and support were first discussed and agreed. The

more detailed approach of gathering information about individuals and the employer

organisation was worked out and refined as experience was built up of profiling and

planning the learning programme. Negotiated and agreed plans show:

1. the extent and basis on which credit is given for prior learning

2. the activities which will be carried out on the employerÕs premises, the resource

needed for this, and the time for learning activities to be allocated within

normal working hours

3. the extent and duration of attendance on modules and for practicals at the

University

4. the inclusion and extent of independent study through guided reading

5. details of the project to be carried out as part of the programme

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6. the name and status of the workplace supervisor

7. the fees to be paid to the University.

In addition a computer based package has been developed which allows prospective

students to assess their existing skills and knowledge, by ÔbrowsingÕ through sets of

questions and obtaining feedback on their answers. The questions are configured and

set by members of academic or company staff, and therefore the application extends

beyond the immediate confines of the Science and Industry project. The package is

intended as an input to the planning process, rather than a verifiable method of

assessment.

A spin-off benefit of this package can be the resolution of disagreements between

individuals and their employer. Situations have arisen where the individual feels less

confident than the employer of their knowledge and abilities in a particular area. The

individual may prefer to undertake further learning, whereas the employer might feel

that this is unnecessary. In these situations the software package can help to resolve

the disagreement.

Fees

A further aspect of marketing was the task of setting fees. Since each enrolment

requires an individual learning programme to be generated, tuition fees also need to

be individually assessed. This was done by reference to the fees charged for full-time

study.

When they were first established the two full-time MSc degrees were expected to

recover their costs from student fees alone, without support from the Higher

Education Funding Council. The same fee levels are applied to the work-based

learning variant though a pro-rata calculation is included to reflect the elements

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which are carried out in the work-place. In crude terms, the more resource which the

employer commits to the process, the lower the fee charged by the University.

A major issue remains the question of price elasticity. In some fields of postgraduate

study there is a wide range of fees charged Ð for example, the fee levels for MBA

programmes can vary by some 500%. The same significant differences are not found

in science, probably for two main reasons. Firstly, there is a long-standing tradition

that scientific knowledge is freely shared: science research depends on the free

interchange of ideas and development. Secondly, there has been a drive to increase

the number of students studying scientific and technology subjects at UK universities.

It is not always easy to recruit these students, and therefore a high proportion of

science degrees attract financial support from the Funding Councils.

The advantage of close relevance to employer needs, and links with high quality

research activity does mean that some organisations are prepared to pay a premium

fee, though as one corporate manager advised, ÒThere are limits; be careful not to go

too far!Ó. Our experience suggests that a fee differential of up to 100% is acceptable

to the market, but that if fees paid by the client organisation rise over double the

normal level, this would be unacceptable. Quite simply, the market would purchase

other cheaper alternatives.

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Monitoring progress

The students recruited have come from a variety of organisations and follow a similar

variety of study programmes in terms of the credits awarded for existing

competences, and the relative contribution of the employer and the University. They

range from an individual working at technician level, to fully fledged members of

research teams. Similarly the employers are from both private and public sector

organisations, and vary in size between major international corporations and

specialist small businesses.

To date all employer-sponsored students who have registered and commenced study

are maintaining good progress. Assignments are received on time, the employer

contributions to the learning programme are being successfully implemented, and

taught sessions at the University are attended as planned. Despite the fact that initial

negotiations to define the learning plans took longer than expected, this appears to

have been time well spent since these have proved robust and have not needed re-

negotiation.

The lessons from implementation

Without doubt the main lesson has been that direct personal contact with the client

organisation has been the key to successful recruitment and agreement on robust

learning plans. The tailor-made approach has proved successful in attracting both

employers and employee-students with commitment to acquiring new knowledge and

competences.

The promotion and recruitment effort needed to achieve this success has been

considerable. Profiling both potential students and their employing organisations has

had the dual function of building sound learning plans, and in commercial terms of

convincing corporate clients to make the investment. However, the market for

postgraduate degrees in science will not permit the same price elasticity as, for

example, in business and management. For historical reasons, and due to market

competition, the level of fees needs to be set fairly competitively.

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A second factor which complicates the recruitment process is identifying the

decision-maker in the target organisations. In many cases the main corporate training

budget is held by a central training function, with line managers holding subsidiary

budgets for immediate (technical) training needs. The training functions will possess

expertise, and provide rolling programmes in the more common requirements Ð

health and safety, human resource management and so on. Specialist training in

discrete areas of science will be regarded as the domain of specialist line managers,

but, of course, they often do not hold adequate budgets for protracted postgraduate

courses. This can mean internal demarcation disputes, and inevitable time delays.

Costs and benefits

Despite the perennial difficulty of calculating cost (unless an off-the-shelf formula is

used) cost guidelines need to be included in an evaluation. Financial management is

an essential part of working life, and organisations which ignore the financial

dimension run obvious and grave risks.

Costs: the development phase

The cost indications given below relate only to the University, and include one

important assumption. The full-time courses which formed the base for the project

had been designed in consultation with the relevant industries. There was no need,

beyond the normal need for review and up-dating, to formulate a completely new set

of aims and content. It was a new and more flexible approach to delivery which was

required.

On one level it is feasible to assign a cash value for staff time, include an overhead

charge, and add direct costs for advertising and promotion, travel, printing etc. This

calculation shows that development and recruitment costs (i.e. the costs borne prior to

the start of the teaching/learning stage) were just over £84,000. A contribution to

these costs of almost £53,000 was made by the (then) Department of Employment.

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External development funding created costs which would not have been incurred if

the initiative had been financed by the University without Employment Department

support. The time and resources spent on meetings, travel and reporting have

amounted to a total of some £12,000.

The project encompassed three faculties, and involved development of two degree

courses. Development of a single course, within one department of the University,

would not have incurred the same level of costs. Some expenditure, for example joint

planning meetings and on a more tangible level the design and production of a

brochure were shared. Taking this factor into account, it would seem reasonable to

project the costs for development of a single Masters degree to be at least 35% lower

than those incurred for the Science and Industry programme.

More importantly, much of the process of designing and implementing work-based

learning was new to the team. Had the appropriate knowledge and expertise been

available within the University, development costs would have been substantially

reduced Ð arguably by as much as 50%.

If the objective is to develop a single, existing postgraduate degree to make it

available through a work-base learning approach, our experience would suggest that

costs in the order of £23,000 could be anticipated. This figure includes allocation of

overhead, and assumes that a convenient source of expertise is available to the

development team.

Costs and accrediting prior learning

This was initially an important consideration. The portfolio method of accrediting

prior learning (APL), used in other disciplines such as Nursing and Social Work, was

proving very resource intensive, both from the student and staff dimensions.

No such problem exists with the scientific research community. Laboratory R&D

projects in the three target areas of medical sciences, pharmaceuticals and food and

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beverage must be fully documented. Quite simply, if they are not, the products under

development will not be permitted onto the market. Industry, therefore, must

maintain a full and attestable set of records which can be used to identify individual

competences, and hence provide a convenient source of APL data. Assessing

competences acquired through previous learning and experience is therefore

relatively straightforward in the disciplines and industries which were targeted, and if

not negligible, is a relatively small component part of the cost of building the

learning plan.

The cost of teaching and learning

Though the cost for accrediting prior learning was not as high as predicted at the start

of the project, the process of Ôclosing the saleÕ and agreeing individualised learning

plans proved more expensive than anticipated. Understandably those employers who

did place value on the professional development of their staff were keen to

thoroughly validate the programme offered by the University. From initial

advertising and promotion through to final agreement on the learning plan, a prudent

estimate of the cost would be £500 per student.

A formula approach has been used to calculate the cost and hence fees for delivering

individualised teaching and learning programmes (post-recruitment). This takes into

account the need for monitoring progress, generating materials for guided reading,

attendance at the University for laboratory practicals and taught modules, and the cost

of assessment.

The work-based learning students attend part or entire modules alongside students

studying full-time. The teaching and learning costs are therefore calculated as a

percentage of the cost for full-time study. Thus, as an example, a student who

requires to attend 20 hours of lectures and three weeks of practicals at the University

would pay 80% of the fee for the full-time course. (The full-time course is intensive,

extending over 12 months and comprising over 1200 hours of tuition, practicals and

project research in addition to private study time).

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Benefits

Arising from the project, the University has developed new contacts with employers.

Demand for the work-based learning degree also appears to be growing, and the aim

of diversifying the market to ensure the viability of the degree programmes is being

achieved.

In time, the new contacts with employers may provide opportunities for further links

in the areas of consultancy and collaborative research. However, it will take some

further two years to fully identify benefits, and calculate the value to the University

of this initiative. In the interim, it is unfortunate that further cuts in the public

funding of higher education have occurred. This inevitably places a strain on

resources in universities, and creates uncertainties. Staffing complements for the two

postgraduate degrees have been maintained, and this has vindicated the decision to

build the Science and Industry programme on existing resources. Had contract staff

been appointed and funded from the development budget, it is likely that the

expertise would by now have been lost to the University.

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Outcomes and conclusions

The modest recruitment targets of ten students have been met. Since a central

principle of the programme is to ensure flexibility in delivery, the ten are at various

stages from application and initial profiling through to progressing well towards

gaining postgraduate degrees. Further negotiations for corporate contracts are

underway with both the public and private sectors. This, however, is only a limited

measure of success since it ignores the broader aspects relevant to technology

transfer, and embedding the learning process within employer organisations. These

are discussed below through

· a case study from the pharmaceuticals company Sanofi Winthrop

· a description of the methodology used to gather data and plan the customised

learning programmes.

Work-based learning at Sanofi WinthropWith the benefit of a good first degree in biochemistry, Nicola Bowen has spent almost three years as a research scientist, working at the Alnwick site of pharmaceuticals company Sanofi Winthrop. The company was formed as the result of an alliance and subsequent acquisition by Sanofi SA, the French healthcare and beauty company, of Sterling WinthropÕs prescription medicines business. The result is a major international company with a promising and highly-regarded research pipeline focusing on anti-cancer, central nervous system and cardiovascular prescription drugs. In total, there are over 200 employees at the Alnwick R&D site, of whom 44 work in the Toxicology Department which is organised into sections to meet the requirements of the regulatory agencies. Nicola is a member of the Ôtrouble shootingÕ team which undertakes special studies as required.

The company has always been supportive of continuing professional development, and were keen for Nicola to pursue her interests in toxicology (which had not been a major component of her first degree). Full-time postgraduate study was not an option, and so a survey of available part-time Masters courses was undertaken. There were, in fact, relatively few part-time toxicology courses available; and most were considered too general in scope. The Leicester course Òseemed to be the right oneÓ.

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There was a good mix of topics, of relevance to company needs, and the work-based learning approach offered maximum flexibility. In addition there were perceived to be advantages from contact with the national Medical Research Council (MRC) Toxicology Unit, which is based at Leicester, and also interest in the molecular biology component of the course, an area in which Sanofi-Winthrop was keen to strengthen its capabilities. The company was particularly enthusiastic about the process of profiling: this gave Nicola and the management an opportunity to learn more about the aims and content of the course, and established that the UniversityÕs approach was to serve the interests of Nicola Òas an individualÓ.

The tailor-made ÔpackageÕ designed for Nicola is a mix of

¥1 credit for prior learning, attested by her project work within the company ¥2 new learning, gained through attendance on modules delivered at the University,

and through guided private study consisting of specified reading accompanied by a study guide

¥3 experience of application of enabling technologies, both at the University and within the companyÕs laboratories

¥4 a project, relevant to company needs, and carried out in the workplace.

Workplace mentoring and supervision is provided by company management, who are committed to and supportive of the development programme.

In many ways this is a text-book example of how the work-based learning programme was planned to operate in practice. The existing full-time course, on which the work-based learning variant is based, was purpose designed to meet the needs of industry for advanced level toxicology work, and therefore there was a basis of relevance to company needs. This relevance was enhanced by the flexibility which work-based learning provides, the benefit of association with a recognised centre of excellence Ð the MRC Toxicology Unit , and the prospect of technology transfer in the area of molecular biology and hence the possibility of innovation.

From the UniversityÕs point-of-view, the maintenance of records in the firm enabled the process of APL without recourse to lengthy construction of a special portfolio. This aspect of the programme can therefore be managed cost-effectively. Nicola has a maturity, and from her background as a research scientist, an ability to work independently using source material. Therefore an element of guided independent

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study could also be introduced to further enhance flexibility. Sanofi-Winthrop management are clearly supportive of the process, and have the commitment to provide study time, supervision and mentoring by an experienced research scientist, and laboratory resources to enable Nicola to successfully pursue the programme. (Not all employers who have enquired about work-based learning have been committed to the necessary extent, and on occasions it has been necessary to withdraw from negotiations when employers requirements did not meet the University quality parameters and concern for the Ôduty of careÕ).

In essence, the text-book nature of this case study rests on the fit between the

University and the company. Both are pursuing the same objectives: design and

delivery of a high quality, flexible development programme, relevant to both

individual and employer needs, and with the potential bonus of technology transfer

from academic research to industrial application and innovation.

Planning individual programmes of work-based learning

Each student and employer is interviewed to build the profile which will then result

in the design of an individual learning plan. A member of University staff conducts

these interviews, following the topic headings shown on the pro-forma below:

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Conclusions

The essential ingredient has been not simply the creation of a three-way learning plan

involving the individual, the employer, and the University. It has been perhaps more

important Ð as the case study from Sanofi Winthrop demonstrates Ð to build a three-

way partnership based on mutual commitment to the process. From the UniversityÕs

standpoint, careful interviewing and selection of committed students and employers

has been the cornerstone of the success of the project. The process of student and

employer profiling was not merely an educational device, it was also an important

part of the sales process. It created the opportunity for structured personal contact

with the individual and employer, and effectively Ôclosed the saleÕ. This meant, of

course, that the task had to be undertaken by someone who possessed the necessary

personal qualities to impress the client organisation both as a scientist and in a

business sense. Equally important, from the employerÕs and individualÕs

perspective the process afforded the chance to select the University as a supplier,

rather than procuring on the evidence of marketing materials alone.

Within the University, the project team was the main vehicle which allowed issues to

be identified, solutions proposed, and field tests and refinements made. The Leicester

team was built from a base of strong scientific research performance, experience of

working with employers, a culture of entrepreneurism at department level, and

specific education and business skills. There was, in effect, a multi-disciplinary mix

which ideas such as the Ôlearning organisationÕ and Ôbusiness process re-

engineeringÕ advocate. Within the context of the wider University, the culture and

values which emphasise the quality of student learning, and the Ôduty of careÕ

supported the idea of recruiting students not only on the evidence of their personal

abilities, but also on the grounds of the support and commitment afforded by their

employer.

The experience of the team now remains within the University. In the current

financial situation within UK higher education, this has proved important. It provides

a continuity which will allow ongoing recruitment of students to the two degree

programmes, and also makes available expertise to other areas of the University

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which are considering this mode of delivery. Some three further postgraduate degree

courses are at various stages of development. (Interestingly, however, the same

pattern of work-based learning will not be exactly replicated due to differences in

both content and the market).

The market for the two degrees which formed the Science and Industry programme

was relatively narrow. Only some 30% of the total number of organisations in the

target market were true potential clients, with a commitment to investing in lengthy

programmes of staff development. Due to a number of factors, the process from

advertising through to final recruitment of participants took several months. This had

the benefit that the customised learning plans have proved robust, but had the

commercial disadvantage of high costs. It is difficult to offset these costs against

substantially higher fees since science has a history of freely sharing expertise, and

financial support from the Funding Councils effectively reduces the fees for

competitor products. Nevertheless, within the restrictions of this market it has been

possible to set premium fees, due to the association of the programmes with

recognised research performance, and the tailor-made approach. It is to be hoped that

as relationships develop with employers there will be additional spin-off benefits

from collaborative research and consultancy.

The development of a competence-based approach, and of a (cost-effective)

methodology for accrediting prior learning were simple to resolve. The science

degrees which formed the base for the programme were already competence-based in

the true sense: blending scientific knowledge with skills in applying enabling

technologies, and a central core of developing abilities to reflect and identify research

questions. Importantly, these were exactly the competences required by employers

seeking to invest in staff development.

Incorporating credit for prior learning was also a relatively easy process, since

laboratories in the target markets maintain verifiable records of staff abilities and

experience. The problems and expense of building portfolios were not significant for

the target group.

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Perhaps the most important conclusion, exemplified by the case study of Sanofi

Winthrop, is that the potential for work-based learning is significant when genuine

three-way partnerships are formed from combination of employer-, individual-, and

university-commitment. This may not be easy to achieve, and the prospect of

investing in a lengthy process of staff development may not be attractive to all

employers. Nevertheless, when an effective three-way partnership is established, it is

an immensely satisfying and productive achievement.

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