The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), the Association of Colleges (AoC), and 157 Group have formed an alliance to investigate the role of colleges in the community.

The purpose of the investigation will be to report on the strategic role colleges can play and the added public value they can bring in leading adult learning and serving local communities at a time when colleges are once again expected to take responsibility for the shape and balance of educational offer to their locality.

The Commission is putting out a public call for evidence. Interested individuals and organisations are invited to submit written evidence to the Commission by Friday 18 March 2011.

With a Board of Commissioners chaired by Baroness Margaret Sharp, the Inquiry was launched in December 2010 and will report in November 2011.

As part of the Inquiry, the Commission will:

• Review literature, existing national and international policies and models of delivery;
• Call for and consider evidence;
• Run a programme of expert seminars; and
• Open discourse and inquiry with successful community colleges from other countries to identify good practice and transferrable learning

The Commission will identify a vision, strategic framework and potential models of delivery for enhancing the role of colleges in their community including how:

• Local planning mechanisms such as the proposed Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) can facilitate College involvement in planning and delivery to their communities in partnership with stakeholders in all sectors
• Colleges can work with local councils and strategic partners to support economic and community well-being
• Colleges can become fully involved in local placed-based budgeting proposals
• Colleges can support offenders in the community and ex offenders
• College premises can be used cost effectively as a resource to their communities
• Colleges can support non accredited learning as a sustainable model
• Colleges can collaborate more effectively in progression partnerships to deliver higher level skills

Mark Ravenhall, Director of Operations at NIACE, said:

"This joint-Inquiry will generate the evidence needed to examine just what role our colleges of the 21st Century play in the community. The here and now presents huge challenges to colleges but also considerable opportunities."

"These include new changes across the policy landscape and in particular how the role of local government is shifting, the ageing population and how the rising needs of the older workforce can be met, the needs of employers in an adapting economy, in particular to make up for the retirement of the baby boomers. And the twin tensions of the skills agenda and social inclusion."

"Colleges are fantastic at responding to the needs of employers and individuals but NIACE regards community engagement as the third leg to the stool. Employer and adult responsiveness can only be enhanced by greater involvement in their communities."

Joy Mercer, Director of Policy (Education) at the Association of Colleges (AoC), said:

"Colleges are the natural centre for learning in their communities. But the landscape is changing. Funding is an issue and there are different relationships driving local agendas. AoC sees this as an excellent opportunity under Baroness Sharp's leadership to explain, develop and enhance the role of Colleges as responsive partners in their local communities."

Lynne Sedgmore, Executive Director of the 157 Group, said:

"Colleges are a pivotal tool and asset to their local communities and make powerful contributions to their social well-being and economy. Our 157 Group colleges already demonstrate successful leadership in their localities as reflected in our case studies released earlier this year. However, this Inquiry is an important and powerful tool in helping to improve, shape and strengthen collaboration between colleges and their communities."

In particular, the Inquiry invites submissions that address the following questions:

• What is the relationship between colleges and their communities?
• How do colleges contribute to local/ community leadership?
• How do colleges develop, implement and refine national adult learning policies and plans?
• How do colleges define and arrive at an adult curriculum for their communities?

Written evidence
This is a public call for evidence. Recipients of this notice are encouraged to draw it to the attention of others who may wish to submit evidence to the Inquiry. We are keen to hear from different types of people including principals, managers, teachers and community representatives.

At this stage we take a broad view of what constitutes evidence. It might include for example:

• Research you are aware of, particularly unpublished work;
• Research you have undertaken in your communities or college; or
• Information about your or your organisation’s approach to the subjects of the Inquiry.

Evidence submitted becomes the property of the Commission, and may be printed or circulated at any stage. Personal contact details supplied to the Commission will, however, be removed before publication. If you do not wish for your submission to be made public, please state this clearly at the start of your submission.

Witnesses may publicise their written evidence themselves, but in doing so should indicate that it was prepared for the Commission.

Submissions by email are preferred (as attachments in Word) and should be emailed to collegesincommunities@niace.org.uk. Unless submissions are short, they should be accompanied by a summary outlining the key points.

Please ensure that you include your relevant contact details. Evidence should be attributed and dated, with a note of your name and position, and should state whether it is submitted on an individual or corporate basis.

Evidence should be submitted to:
Emily Jones
Colleges in their Communities Inquiry
NIACE
20 Princess Road West
Leicester LE1 6TP
Email: collegesincommunities@niace.org.uk  

Further information about the Commission of Inquiry can be found on the NIACE website.

For more information about the Inquiry, please contact:
Emily Jones, 0116 285 9676 Email: collegesincommunities@niace.org.uk

For further information, the media contact is:
Ed Melia, 0116 223 0050/07795 358870
Email: Ed.Melia@niace.org.uk

Commission Membership
The Chair of the Commission is Baroness Margaret Sharp.

The Commission members are:

Mike Atkinson		Association of College Governors
Michelle Dawson		Hammerson PLC
Sally Dicketts		Oxford and Cherwell Valley College
Beverley Evans		Local Education Authority Forum for the Education of Adults
Maggie Galliers		Leicester College
Satnam Gill		Working Men’s College
Geoff Hall		New College Nottingham
Stella Mbubaegbu		Highbury College
Elaine McMahon		Hull College
David McNulty		Surrey County Council
Chris Morecroft		Association of Colleges
Lynne Sedgmore		157 Group
John Widdowson		New College Durham
Tom Wilson		Unionlearn