6 minute read
Higher Education: Degrees of Change
Head of Children and Young People’s Dance, Laura Nicholson looks at how higher education institutions are adapting to various challenges and producing graduates of world-class calibre.
The achievements of all graduates of 2021, having completed their degree programmes under such unusual and challenging circumstances, cannot be underestimated. There is no doubt that Higher Education organisations, staff and students, regardless of subject specialism, have been significantly challenged by the pandemic and extended periods of remote learning. The unique combination of practical, technical, creative and academic skills involved in dance courses in particular– along with being a subject built upon the need to collaborate with others - brought a unique set of challenges.
Over the last 18 months we have seen the heroic efforts and creative responses of Dance HE providers to sustain the world-class education and training available in the UK. We have seen dance programmes, course content and assessments re-shaped and reframed with ingenuity, preparing graduates to enter the sector, all whilst balancing the pastoral and wellbeing needs of students.
According to the Creative Industries Federation, the creative industries were (prior to the pandemic) growing at 4x the rate of the UK economy as a whole, contributing £115.9bn gross value added. The creative industries employed 2 million people, with a further 1 million jobs predicted to be created by 2030.
This means that, as a sector, we need a clear strategy in place to ensure the ‘talent pipeline’ in dance is robust and future proofed. Nurturing ‘homegrown talent’ is perhaps more important than ever in a post-Brexit world. We have to ensure that access to high quality dance education is available and accessible to all, throughout their school, college and university career. Currently though, this is far from straightforward.
University of Central Lancashire Dance students
Photo Lucy Nicholson
Sadly, despite the brilliance of the Dance HE sector and the many opportunities a career in the creative industries can provide, as we gradually move forwards from the pandemic, there are many further challenges that lie ahead. Perhaps one of the most high-profile and alarming challenges, with a direct impact on the Dance HE sector, came from the Office for Students (OfS)’s confirmation in July that, despite extensive and high profile opposition through their consultation, they would be proceeding with reducing funding for so-called ‘nonpriority’ courses at Higher Education by almost 50%. Former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said that he believes his recommendation to ‘reprioritise’ money away from arts towards STEM, medicine and healthcare subjects is ‘justified to support government priorities’.
One Dance UK’s response to the initial consultations stated that “… we are deeply alarmed and concerned at these proposals. Funding cuts of 49% would be catastrophic for dance provision at HE level, affecting the financial viability of dance courses and having a severely detrimental impact on the dance sector as a whole. Given the unique, world-leading status of dance in the UK, and the enormous positive economic input of the creative industries, it is completely baffling and illogical that performing and creative arts are not considered a strategic priority for the current government.”
The OfS’s plans contain an additional blow for London-based universities as it is confirmed that they are no longer able to vary funding levels based on the geographic location of an institution, meaning that subsidies for universities operating in London will be removed.
Photos: Dani Bower for One Dance UK
Perhaps equally as worrying as the financial challenges facing the Dance HE sector is the negative rhetoric and language that has been used to describe non STEM-based subjects. Gavin Williamson recently came under criticism for stating that “The record number of people taking up science and engineering demonstrates that many are already starting to pivot away from dead-end courses that leave young people with nothing but debt.” Such language does little to build confidence in our sector.
A further potential challenge to ensuring young people have a smooth pathway comes from a recent announcement about confirmed changes to the way Post 16 qualifications are funded in England.
Following a consultation period, the Department for Education has set out plans to streamline the qualifications offer at Further Education (FE) Level by funnelling students into an ‘academic’ or ‘technical’ route. The government plans to defund many current courses, focusing progression routes on A-levels, T Levels and apprenticeships. Dance and performing arts have not been included in the T Level programme and the future of BTECs and other vocational qualifications looks uncertain.
One Dance UK is continuing to advocate that a range of funded vocational dance courses should continue to be available to students, ensuring that dance training is available to all and not just those who can afford to pay for out of school classes.
For some time, dance in mainstream schools has been marginalised and has been a subject under immense threat, due to funding cuts and shifting educational priorities. Naturally the pandemic has brought further significant challenges. Perhaps one of the bleakest pictures of the decline in dance in schools is painted by the number of entries to GCSE and A Level Dance. There has been almost a 50 % reduction in the number of GCSE Dance entries over 12 years and more than a 50% drop in A Level Dance entries over just 9 years.
For me, it goes without saying that we need high quality dance education that is accessible for all – at school, FE and HE levels. It is vital to help support a healthy generation of young people in the general population. And beyond that, it is needed to ensure that all young people have the potential to nurture their talents and achieve their potential.
As a sector and a society, we have a duty to train and prepare the next generation of creatives, performers, choreographers, dance health workers and teachers for our vibrant creative sector. One Dance UK advocates fiercely for the value of dance education for all at government level and beyond and will continue to do so.
Further Information
info@onedanceuk.org
Skills for Life
Dr Natalie Garrett Brown, Chair of DanceHE, notes the UK’s world-leading offer for dance at higher education.
We have a rich and diverse offer in the UK for students wishing to study dance at higher education. This range of what we offer is one of our key strengths as a sector and part of the draw for students from across the world who choose to study with us. One dance course can look very different to the next – and between them they offer opportunities to study technique, creative practice, working in the community, producers, leaders, dance health and science alongside the professional practice skills required to succeed in the industry.
We see dance graduates go onto varied careers across the dance sector and beyond and/or progressing to MA, MFA, PGCE courses and doctoral level study. It is testament to the creativity and ingenuity of universities and programme leaders that they have nurtured two cohorts who have thrived, not just survived.
Further Information
www.dancehe.org
Photos: Dani Bower for One Dance UK
Cover photo: EveryOne Dance UK Challenge winner Miriam from Wales, photo Dani Bower for One Dance UK
