Jim Gallacher
Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning 1999–2008. Current research interests: widening access to further and higher education; the changing roles of colleges; and strengthening vocational education. His most recent work has been published in the Journal of Education and Work and he is the co-editor of New Languages and Landscapes of Higher Education (OUP 2017) and New Frontiers for College Education: International Perspectives, co-edited with Fiona Reeve (Routledge 2019).
Subjects: Education
Biography
My academic discipline is sociology, and I have specialised in post compulsory education and lifelong learning. I established the Centre fro Research in Lifelong Learning (CRLL), a joint centre between Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and the University of Stirling, and was Co-director 1999-2008. In addition to being an emeritus professor in GCU I am also an honorary professor in the University of Stirling and the University of the Highlands and Islands, and a Distinguished Visiting Professor in Capital Normal University in Beijing.Much of my work has been policy oriented and i have been an adviser to the Scottish Parliament for its Inquiry into Lifelong Learning, and member of the Board of the Scottish Funding Council for Further and Higher Education, and a member of the Board of the City of Glasgow College. I have managed and completed 20 research projects funded by a wide range of funders including Scottish Executive, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), EU, SQA. Most recent work has been published in the Journal of Education and Work (JEW) and recent books include New Languages and Landscapes of Higher Education co-edited with Peter Scott and Gareth Parry (OUP 2017) and New Frontiers for College Education: International Perspectives, co-edited with Fiona Reeve (Routledge 2019).
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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My main areas of research have been on widening access to further and higher education, links between colleges and universities, the changing roles of colleges, and vocational education and training.
Books
Articles
Higher education in the college sector: widening access or diversion? Questions and challenges from the Scottish Experience
Published: Sep 27, 2017 by Journal of Education and Work
Authors: Jim Gallacher
Subjects:
Education
Higher education in the college sector has become an increasingly important aspect tertiary education in Scotland, particularly in widening access to higher education. Despite the success of the college sector, a number of challenges have emerged. This article explores the changing role of higher education in the Scottish colleges, the ambiguities which have emerged in its functions, the problems which this has led to, and the opportunities to address this through further policy initiatives.