Horizon scanning

It provides our view on horizon scanning by education providers, including our regulatory requirements, and what we commonly see in programme delivery.

This information should be considered by education providers when developing new and existing programmes, linked to this area.

Our threshold requirements

Summary reflections

Education providers are aware of challenges and initiatives that may affect their provision in the medium to long term. They identify challenges and initiatives and consider their responses through a range of activities. 

Education providers who effectively horizon scan are better placed to win commissions, more quickly implement change, and less likely to experience problems due to external changes. Education providers themselves often play a leadership role within the professions they deliver, and within education and training generally. 

There are challenges with horizon scanning, particularly linked to uncertainty, change fatigue, and fast paced changes with new technology.

Education provider approaches 

Education providers are aware of challenges and initiatives that may affect their provision in the medium to long term. They identify challenges and initiatives, and consider their responses, through a range of activities, including: 

• Risk and opportunity frameworks – education providers often use risk-based approaches supported by tools like governance assurance frameworks, regular audits, and structured evaluation processes.  
• Data-driven analysis – integration of qualitative and quantitative data from stakeholders, reports, and feedback, to identify trends and inform decisions. 
• Stakeholder engagement – active participation in national / regional forums, strategic partnerships, and professional body engagement are key mechanisms for staying ahead of sector changes. 
• Policy monitoring – some education providers have dedicated roles to track developments in policy, workforce planning, and regulatory changes. 
• Embedded horizon scanning in regular monitoring activities – many education providers make horizon scanning a standing agenda item in programme meetings and allocate staff time for future-focused discussions. 

Identified challenges are considered through: 

• Scenario planning and strategic projects – for example, development of education provider level strategies and transformation programmes linked to more focused strategic areas. 
• Programme / curriculum changes – education providers regularly review programmes, for example, to integrate emerging technologies and develop outcomes for learners to maintain relevance. 
• Strategic partnerships working – for example, collaboration with NHS trusts and other stakeholders to ensure alignment with the needs of the workforce and practice-based learning capacity. 

When proposing new programmes, education providers had often considered the outputs of horizon scanning, to develop robust business cases for developing new provision, that responds to a particular need within professional education and training. 

Current sector focus and challenges 

Through this section, we have not noted specific areas that education providers have identified through their horizon scanning. Our requirements in this area focus on how education providers effectively carry out horizon scanning and will consider the results of this linked to our other requirements. 

Education providers face challenges when horizon scanning, linked to the following factors: 

• Uncertainty in the health and care and education sectors – particularly linked to  
  • changes in government policy which impacts the future of health and care education (for example, the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan being replaced by the NHS 10 Year Plan for England) 
  • broader changes (such as changes to student visa requirements, reducing the number of international students, and changes to student fee levels in England) 
• Change fatigue – with a range of organisations changing their requirements or expectations 
• Fast paced changes in technology (such as artificial intelligence) 
• Protectionism, which can lead to reduced information sharing across education providers – particularly for education providers in England, who operate within a competitive market 

Areas commonly explored further through our assessments

Where education providers did not reflect on how they ensured their horizon scanning was effective, or where the areas considered through horizon scanning were not fully explored, we considered: 

• How areas were identified and considered, and the steps taken / planned to manage them. 
• If part way through exploring an area, or if areas are in the planning stage, exploring what the next steps and expected outcomes are.