WG Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning (SHELL) fellowship
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Social and Political Science
Abstract
Each fellowship will last up to 18 months to cover a three-month inception phase for set up activity, followed by a 6-12-month placement with the host organisation, and concluding with an impact phase lasting up to three months.
Fellows will co-design projects and activities with their host and produce analysis to inform government decision-making across a range of policy priorities. Fellows will also engage across the host organisation, building effective working relationships and supporting wider knowledge exchange with researchers. This will be supported through their embedded role within the host organisation, including line management support.
Fellows will co-design projects and activities with their host and produce analysis to inform government decision-making across a range of policy priorities. Fellows will also engage across the host organisation, building effective working relationships and supporting wider knowledge exchange with researchers. This will be supported through their embedded role within the host organisation, including line management support.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Elke Heins (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
| Description | I have presented findings internally within Welsh Government and also externally, including to one stakeholder group (University Ready) composed of representatives from Universities in Wales and a wider event with different education stakeholders organised by Welsh Government. An integrated impact assessment (IIA) led by myself has been made publicly available on the Welsh Government website (translated also into Welsh). The main impact so far has been that findings from a survey that I included in the IIA motivated the creation of new content on the University Ready website. A final report has been completed by the end of my Fellowship but still needs translation into Welsh and is therefore not available yet on the Government website. An early outcome of my general research support provided to the SHELL team has led to the setting up of government internships in the SHELL division for Welsh PhD students. As an ongoing task, I have collated existing and newly emerging research databases and outputs that will inform the long-term work on mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on learners in Wales. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Education |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Welsh Government Integrated Impact Assessment Renew and Reform Programme Post-16 and transitions project support initiatives |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gov.wales/renew-and-reform-programme-post-16-and-transitions-project-support-initiatives... |
| Description | Skills Development Scotland Collaborative Studentship Competition |
| Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/P000681/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2023 |
| End | 08/2027 |
| Description | Advisory Group Learning Continuity Board |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | As part of my Fellowship I joined the advisory group to the newly set up Learning Continuity Board of the Welsh Government. The role of the advisory group is to support the Board with relevant research evidence. I gave a formal presentation to this Board in July 2023 on some findings from the research undertaken as part of the Policy Fellowship. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Seminar on the Long-Term Study of the Impacts of the Pandemic on Learners and Education in Wales |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I presented on the impact of changed educational practices related to COVID-19 on post-16 learners in Wales at a seminar organised by Welsh Government for policymakers, government researchers, education practitioners, mental health and other professionals. This was part of an online seminar on the wider effects of Covid-19 on young people and the education sector in Wales bringing together experts, government researchers and practitioners working on a range of age groups and learner groups. I focused in particular on FE learners and apprentices, an often overlooked group of learners. An Educational Psychologist from the University of Cardiff was not aware of the trends I presented and shared my findings with her colleagues. One of my recommendations for Welsh Government is to follow up on trends regarding apprenticeship starts, vocational qualification outcomes and mental health and wellbeing of learners and staff and to use a government survey from 2020 as a baseline to monitor future trends. Investments in support schemes such as the Education Maintenance Allowance, Personal Learning Accounts and Wellbeing staff at FE Colleges should be evaluated and enhancements made if found to be effective. Whether these recommendations will have any impacts will need to be assessed over time. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |