The next phase of skills devolution should be judged by whether it creates stronger relationships between employment, further education and higher education

If widening participation is to remain relevant, it must evolve from a university access policy into a continuous learning and advancement strategy.

The Northumbria discussion pointed towards a more useful model of widening participation: one rooted in place, connected to employers, open to adults as well as school leavers, and willing to value multiple forms of higher learning.