Dual-sector further and higher education: policies, organisations and students in transition

Colleges and universities that provide both further and higher education are a key component of government policies to expand participation in English undergraduate education. The opportunities for access and progression made available by these organisations are regarded as central. At the same time, the division of further and higher education into sectors has implications for how ‘dual-sector’ education is conceived and developed. Drawing on early evidence from policy interviews and fieldwork studies in four case study institutions, the influence of this division on national policy formation, organisational change and the student experience is discussed.