The Need for Collaboration in Higher Education Cold Spots  

Across the UK today, access to degree-level learning remains uneven – constraining economic growth and leaving many employers unable to access the right skills locally.  

In higher education “cold spot” areas, employers are already experiencing the consequences. As revealed in the Open University’s recent report, In From the Cold, more than half (53%) of employers in areas of low higher education participation say they face competition for talent from larger employers and organisations in other regions (55%), making it harder to attract and retain skilled workers. More than a third have had to turn down work or investment opportunities because they cannot recruit the right skills locally, while one in two employers (50%) say the immediate need to address skills shortages prevents them from focusing on diversifying their workforce, reinforcing long-term inequalities in access to opportunity. 

This is not simply a pipeline problem. It is a structural one, rooted in a mismatch between how higher education is traditionally delivered and how people are actually able to access it locally in a work context. One part of the system can’t solve this in isolation; everyone must work together to help people transition into work and develop the skills employers need. 

A lack of pathways, not talent 

The challenge is certainly not a shortage of talent, but a shortage of accessible, flexible routes into jobs which require degree-level skills – especially for those unable to relocate or step away from work. Many individuals cannot, or do not want to relocate for study or work, meaning traditional campus-based models are out of reach. And at the same time, graduates often move to larger cities, creating a cycle where local talent drains away and employers struggle to recruit. 

The Open University’s traditional model offers a more flexible, supported online-first model which helps more than 200,000 people undertake degree qualifications without leaving home. Three-quarters (78%) of employers in cold spot areas agree that employees would be more likely to take training courses if flexible learning was available. The model also works for employees, as evidenced by the fact that seven in ten OU learners are already in work. 

However, this model doesn’t always meet the needs of those learners who prefer the more familiar environment of their local college and the face-to-face support that entails. That’s where HE and FE validation partnerships can help in cold sports. Over seven in ten employers (73%) told us that they would be interested in HE-level courses delivered through local Further Education (FE) colleges. It’s clear that the demand is there, the system just needs to respond more flexibly to different individual and local needs. 

A practical answer: two routes to access 

So how can we expand access to degree-level learning in cold spots? We need to recognise that learners need different routes.

There are two main ways to deliver this at scale:  

• Locally delivered validated higher education through further education colleges, shaped by regional need 
• Flexible, supported online learning that allows people to study wherever they are, at a pace that fits their lives 

Together, these routes create a complementary mix that removes barriers to access and widens participation to higher education, with validation partnerships playing a central role.  

Validation partnerships: bringing higher education to where it is needed 

Further Education Colleges have well developed relationships with their local industrial partners and employers but aren’t always able to meet the demand for flexible degree-level programme delivery.  

There is huge potential for employers to work with flexible further and higher education providers to widen access to learning through meaningful partnerships that tap into existing, hidden talent. Collaboration is vital to ensure employers in HE cold spots can develop the skills they and their communities need. Few FE colleges have degree-awarding powers, so validation partnerships are essential to creating provision that is both academically robust and locally responsive, by enabling university approved and quality-assured higher education programmes designed and delivered by FE colleges. ,. 

Colleges bring deep understanding of their communities, close relationships with employers and insight into local labour markets and emerging skills gaps. Universities bring academic standards, oversight and progression pathways. Together, they create higher education rooted in place. 

For learners, this changes the proposition entirely. Instead of relocating to access a degree, they can study locally, often in institutions they already know and trust. For many learners – particularly those who may not see themselves reflected in traditional university settings – a local college environment feels more flexible, accessible, supportive and achievable. 

Just as importantly, delivery can be designed around real life, allowing higher education to become integrated into people’s lives rather than requiring those lives to be put on hold. 

The Open University has made this possible in the UK and beyond with over 390 validated programmes delivered in 15 countries worldwide, with more than 208,000 students to date receiving an award validated by The Open University. In the UK, there are 27 partners across the UK, with Milton Keynes College group most recently added to a diverse group of domestic FE partners. 

Flexibility beyond place: the role of online provision 

Alongside local delivery, flexible online learning provides a second essential route into higher education. 

As emphasised in the report, widening access requires recognition that the traditional campus-based model cannot meet the needs of all learners. For many people balancing work, travel, time off-the-job and other responsibilities, the ability to study flexibly and remotely is what makes participation possible. 

Institutions such as The Open University have demonstrated how this can be achieved at scale, providing structured, supported learning that fits around the realities of adult life. This ensures that location is no longer a limiting factor, whilst allowing individuals to engage with higher education without leaving their communities. 

Together, local FE delivery through validation partnerships and flexible online study create a more inclusive and adaptable mix – one that recognises access is not just about availability, but about a closer fit to individual employer and employee needs. 

Aligning provision with employer demand 

Validation partnerships also play a critical role in aligning higher education provision with employer need. In many cold spot areas, skills shortages are sector-specific and acute, particularly in areas such as digital and AI, engineering and professional services. 

Through their close engagement with local employers, colleges are uniquely positioned to respond to these needs. Validation partnerships allow that insight to be translated into higher education programmes directly relevant to the workplace, creating a more integrated relationship between learning and employment. 

Examples such as Yeovil College University Centre illustrate this clearly. By delivering Open University-validated programmes in areas such as engineering and dental technology, the college is helping address local skills shortages while enabling learners to remain within the region. Similarly, partnerships with institutions such as Hopwood Hall College in Lancashire demonstrate how provision can be developed across sectors in response to employer demand, from health and social care to digital industries. 

The Open University is unique in that it operates across all four nations of the UK. For example, in Northern Ireland, the OU has validation partnerships with all six colleges, which significantly extends the OU’s impact alongside its own digital-first courses that are studied by well over 5,000 people across Northern Ireland. 

A shared responsibility 

Addressing skills shortages in cold spot areas requires collaboration between employers, further education colleges and universities. Employers play a vital role in identifying skills needs and shaping workforce development, further education colleges bring the local relationships, insight and agility to respond to those needs, and universities provide validation, quality assurance and progression pathways. Validation partnerships help bring these strengths together in practice, creating flexible, locally relevant higher education opportunities that support both employers and communities. 

There is significant potential for employers to work with flexible FE and HE providers to widen access to learning and unlock hidden talent. Employers can support this by promoting flexible online learning that reduces the need to travel, widening access to more diverse groups, and partnering with FE colleges delivering higher education in-person in collaboration with universities to address local skills gaps. The Open University can support this work and has several examples of this collaborative approach across the UK including the recent learnings from the pilot HE in FE (validation) project, where the OU was commissioned by the Office for Students (OfS) to deliver a pilot validation service for high quality Level 4 and 5 vocational and technical courses, see the full reports, Evaluation of the Open University HE in FE (validation) project and In From the Cold for further insights and recommendations.