An analysis of the codes of college governance in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and recommendations for improvement

Abstract

The further education college sectors in each of the four jurisdictions in the UK have a code of governance that is intended to guide governing practice in the institutions in those countries. The paper reviews the governing codes and the governance arrangements of colleges in the four UK nations. We outline the methodology and literature that are used to underpin an analysis the content of the codes, and then draw out significant interlinked areas that emerged from the analysis. We make several recommendations concerning the purposes and processes of governing a college, relating to clarity, scope, expectations, and links to wider regulatory contexts. The paper concludes by highlighting implications for a wide range of audiences involved in the governing of further education colleges in the UK.