On 4 July, we hosted the SKOPE Skills Summit, bringing together over 100 leading voices from policy, academia and practice to explore the future of post-16 education and training. The summit focused on policy developments for place-based and integrated tertiary education systems, with discussions examining how regional skills ecosystems can improve access and equity, support regional development, and drive employment and innovation. 

A highlight of the programme was the keynote address from the Rt Hon Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister of Skills at the Department for Education, which set out the government’s priorities for skills and tertiary education reform. The keynote speech is available online. The summit also featured keynote contributions from Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL (University of Derby), Professor Huw Morris (UCL) and Dr James Robson (University of Oxford), alongside a panel discussion with senior representatives from across universities, colleges and sector bodies.