We believe that it is the inalienable right of all our citizens to have access to lifelong learning opportunities at levels appropriate to their abilities, needs and desires. Research has shown us that there are large numbers of people who are disengaged with the lifelong learning process, and for whom that disengagement can be disempowering, can lower their self-esteem, and can have a deeply negative impact on their personality, their relationships, and their career opportunities.

Unfortunately, there are many reasons for the continuing disadvantage experienced by such disengaged learners. Often, they are members of almost disenfranchised groups within society, disbarred or discouraged from higher education by dint of ethnicity, social class, perceived behaviour, negative stereotypes and many other negative influences. The disconnect between such disadvantaged groups is nothing short of scandalous, and the degree of under-representation becomes a double-edged sword.

Statistics which identify the challenges and opportunities inherent in under-represented groups are glibly used as evidence that they are not suited to higher education, the low numbers being used to confirm their unsuitability – a truly sad example of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

It is our contention that such disadvantaged groups represent a vast pool of potential talent, and that every possible effort should be made to attract and recruit learners from these groups into higher education, and every necessary support should be in place to support them through the learning journey. It is not only a moral imperative that they be given access to the same rich and fulfilling educational journey as the most advantaged in our society, but it is also good for society to facilitate the release of the creative energy that these learners represent when equipped to contribute to the wider academic and professional possibilities that await them.

We are mindful that we should be careful not to compound the perception of ‘differences’ exhibited by disadvantaged groups. Should we make the mistake of having such solid majorities of such learners, we could all too easily create ‘ghettos’ of disadvantage that would be equally as harmful as the stereotyping that already exists.

In order to combat this possibility, we recognise the need to recruit and enrol a wide spectrum of students within which groups of disadvantaged learners are assimilated in a healthy balance.

The management and operation of any college, particularly those involved in the provision of world-class higher education, is complex and challenging. There exists a plethora of challenging tasks, duties, and responsibilities covering every aspect of the organisation’s operations. In facing these responsibilities, it is both necessary and important, in our view, to establish a clear balance between the demands of organisational management and the needs of the learning body. Nothing, in our view, is as important as the quality of the learning journey undertaken by all of our students.

The welfare of each student is paramount in our thinking, and the primacy of the learning journey is nothing short of sacrosanct

Our belief is that we have a moral duty to ensure that every learner is supported in every way through their journey in higher education. In addition to being fully supported in terms of materials, facilities, and welfare, we have a responsibility to their minds.

If we fail to provide an academic environment that provides stimulation, encourages curiosity, and values creativity, we fail in the most unacceptable way.

It is our responsibility to provide outstanding tutors, first class library facilities, excellent teaching resources, and unparalleled support mechanisms. And, whatever the demands of running a complex modern organisation are, nothing is more important than fulfilling that brief. The primacy of the learning journey is and must remain supreme – it is the very r’aison detre of our existence as an educational organisation.

Our third core value is the recognition that people matter – and that they all have value and should be valued. It is said that approximately 70% of every corporate budget is spent on wages and salaries – in other words, on people. By simple mathematics it is an inescapable conclusion that people are, or should be, seen as the most important asset any company has. Therefore, the most valuable. Around 100% of the (arguably inadequate) student funding is spent on the education of the students. It goes without question that this makes them the most valuable asset to the college or university involved.

But it is not merely a fiscal imperative that makes people valuable. Their value is inherent and intrinsic. Despite a global population in excess of six billion, each individual is unique – a unique amalgam of skills, abilities, emotions, and personality traits – and, as such, each individual deserves to have their individuality and personhood recognised and respected.

We are therefore committed to providing a safe community, within which everyone, irrespective of role, rank or position will be treated with respect and dignity, and where all will be treated fairly and given equality of access at all levels. Everyone will be allowed to have their voice, and given the opportunity to share their hopes, fears, and concerns in the complex discourse of the academic community. All individuals will have the right of inclusion in the life of the community and will have an entitlement to the full range of support and services available at all times.

If our new College of Higher Education was seeking a new tag line to its logo, we could do little better than ‘Intentum stellis’ – ‘Always aim for the stars’.

We seek to be an aspirational community – and this will always be foremost in our corporate thinking. Our aim is to be a community of scholarship, one characterised by intellectual curiosity, creativity and a sense of excitement at the pursuit of knowledge.

We cannot overvalue academic excellence, and we will do everything in our power to stimulate a similar sentiment in the hearts and minds of all of our staff and students.

There must never come a point where we think ‘we know enough’, or where we believe we have found the limits of our reach. That the stars seem beyond us is no reason to stop aiming for them, always.

Of all the things we hope to become noted for, none is as significant as our desire to become known as an aspirational community, a place of true scholastic endeavour, and a place where anything short of excellence is to settle for less than we are capable of.