New FE improvement body is named as 'Learning and Skills Improvement Service'
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The name was announced at the first summer conference being hosted jointly by the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) and the Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning (QIA). LSIS will bring together the work of CEL and QIA to support leadership development and excellence in the sector.
Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, said, "The further education and skills sector has a huge job to do in helping individuals, employers and communities gain the skills they need. The Learning and Skills Improvement Service has a vital role to play in the continuing improvement of the whole system by supporting strategic reform and taking leadership and improvement in the sector forward in a radically different way. It must build on the legacies of QIA and CEL and work with the Single Voice to give the further education sector a real say in the type of support that it receives."
Dame Ruth Silver DBE, chair of LSIS, announced that Roger McClure had been appointed as chief executive of the new body, and that its board members would be Paul Head, Keith Brooker, David McNulty, Asha Khemka, Neil Bates, Simon Withy, Wally Brown, Christine Braddock, Ann Robinson, Bill Moorcroft, Stella Mbubaegbu and Meredydd David.
"I am pleased to say that the new board is truly representative of the excellent learning and skills sector," said Dame Ruth, "and I believe that LSIS and the sector will benefit enormously from their diverse experience, varied perspectives, complementary skills and vast expertise.
"We have an exciting time ahead of us, and I would like to thank the CEL and QIA leadership teams and staff, as well as various supporters and stakeholders, for helping us reach this stage in creating a sector-led body whose focus is on developing excellent FE provision for the benefit of learners, employers and communities. As we launch a period of consultation on the revised National Improvement Strategy and our role in that, I am confident that we are listening to and will be able to deliver what the sector wants."
The choice of name followed a period of consultation with CEL and QIA staff, interim board members and sector leaders.
About CEL
The Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) was launched in October 2003 as a key national agency within the Success for All initiative.
CEL's remit is to foster and support leadership improvement, reform and transformation throughout the sector. It serves the existing and future leaders of all providers within the further education and skills system, including FE colleges, training and work-based learning providers, adult and community providers, offender learning, specialist colleges and voluntary organisations. To date, more than 1,160 different organisations and around 38,000 individual participants have engaged with CEL.
About QIA
The Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning (QIA) was set up by the government in April 2006 to speed up and support quality improvement, increase participation and raise standards and achievement in the learning and skills sector. QIA's role is to champion excellence and innovation, working across the further education sector to improve performance. As the agency leading the development of a quality improvement strategy for the sector, QIA commissions a range of services provided by other organisations.
About the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS)
From 1 April 2008, CEL and QIA began working together to form a new sector-owned organisation dedicated to supporting excellence and leadership development in the further education and skills sector.
The new organisation was created after consultations with sector leaders identified a strong desire for an organisation that would be sector-led.
Combining the best aspects of two different and highly successful sector bodies, LSIS will focus on learners and on developing excellent and sustainable FE provision across the sector. Leadership development will underpin and form an important part of the organisation's strategic role in the sector.
Related links to this article:
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Centre for Excellence in Leadership
Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning
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