In the second part of his series looking at the strategic considerations behind the closing of the innovation gap in FE, Rhys Davies looks at barriers and solutions. The first part of the series, looking at the importance of innovation, is available here.
In 2020, the Association of Colleges (AOC) asked college leaders what the barriers to fostering innovation in the FE and Training sector are and what the potential solutions might be. They found that colleges are held back from supporting business growth and innovation by a lack of funding and a clear remit from government (AOC 2020).
Three quarters of colleges said a lack of funding for the capital to develop innovation spaces and to employ business innovation account managers to work with SMEs was holding them back. In responding to this concern, the AOC is one of the many voices calling for better collaboration between further education colleges in local areas to share best practice and resources.
