The Guardian on Tuesday carried an article about how HE is funded and may be funded in future. In interview Mike Thorne (Anglia Ruskin’s VC) pointed to the principles of Ultraversity as one way in which HE Institutions may explore new opportunities. Noting a demographic shift Professor Thorne suggests the need for new market penetration notably through approaches to work-based learning and to overseas learners. He says : 

It’s all a question of demographics. By 2017 there will be 500,000 fewer UK school-leavers, and universities will have to develop more part-time degrees aimed at re-educating today’s workforce.It is an inescapable fact that, if the sector is to grow or maintain numbers, we need to develop new offerings like Anglia Ruskin’s online degree programme, Ultraversity, for upskilling adults in the workplace.

So what is the learning blend which enables Ultraversity to take a lead in work based learning …. Essentially the Ultraversity model promotes situated learning in the workplace which is inquiry led (and so beneficial to organisational change) it is a scalable model which allows individuals in many contexts to learn alongside each other. The Ultraversity approach to work based learning does not have its locus of control with the employer . It transcends agreements with individual employers and in so doing it :