The research underpinning this paper was commissioned by the Association of Universities in the East of England and is part of a collection of four studies of widening participation within a higher education (HE) in further education (FE) environment. Research was carried out during the spring and summer months of 2006 consisting primarily of interviews with key staff; analysis of in-house surveys of staff and students provided much statistical data; and participant observation was used extensively. The outcome is a case study of a large further education college as it addresses the HE in FE agenda. Two main concerns emerged. Firstly the transfer of validating body from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) to the University of East Anglia (UEA) along with student numbers. Secondly the initiative to address recruitment and retention issues and improve the quality of HE provision. The paper examines the dynamic processes and issues the College necessarily confronts.

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