Right2Learn and NEON event ‘What does levelling up mean for lifelong learning?’

NEON Global Events

As the government moves forward with its levelling up agenda in the wake of the white paper released earlier this year, what this means for lifelong learning is a key issue. The white paper included a commitment to increasing the number of people successfully completing high-quality skills training by 2030 with over 200,000 successfully completing high-quality skills training annually and 80,000 more people completing courses in the lowest skilled areas. How will this commitment be delivered though? Is it ambitious enough? Is lifelong learning being given a high enough priority in the government’s contemporary Medici model? Is the potential for lifelong learning to drive forward economic growth and social inclusion being realised?

This FREE online event (Monday 16th May – 1.30pm to 3.30pm) led by the Right2Learn campaign, and the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) brings together leading national figures from politics, higher and further education, skills and the union movement to examine the implications of the levelling up agenda for lifelong learning.

Speakers confirmed:

• Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top, Chair of the House of Lords Public Services Committee
• Professor Jonathan Michie, President, Kellogg College
• Jamie Driscoll, Mayor of the North of Tyne
• Kevin Rowan, Head of Organising, Services and Learning, TUC
• Kirstie Donnelly, Chief Executive of the City and Guilds Group
• Julie Mills, CEO and Group Principal, Milton Keynes College
• Helen Higson, Professor of Higher Education Learning and Management in Aston Business School
• Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor, Middlesex University
• Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor of London for Planning, Regeneration and Skills – jules.pipe@london.gov.uk
• Gordon Marsden, ex Shadow Minister for Higher Education, Further Education and Skills
• Professor Graeme Atherton, Head Centre for Inequality and Levelling Up, University of West London

The Right2Learn campaign (https://right2learn.co.uk) was founded in 2020 to promote a statutory right to learn for everyone whatever their age or background. Our aim is to show how important properly funded lifelong learning is to the life chances of millions. The event will also be an opportunity to hear about the future of the R2L campaign and how you can get involved.