Few are better qualified to assess the impact of this week¡¯s UK government skills White Paper than Paul Kett, the new vice-chancellor of London South Bank University.

A former director general for skills at the Department?for Education, and more recently a consultant with PwC, he now leads a university that in many ways embodies what the politicians at Westminster are trying to achieve.

Kett has also taken charge of the wider LSBU Group set up by his predecessor David Phoenix, who now runs the Open University, which also includes schools and colleges ¨C a coming together of different parts of the education system that is still rare despite the many ¡°warm words¡± encouraging such integration.

LSBU has worked ¡°in spite of the system rather than because of it¡±, Kett told ÌÇÐÄVlog, describing a ¡°friction¡± between the two ¡°complex environments¡±.

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Now, as ministers eye ways to bring together further and higher education ¨C a key theme of the White Paper finally published this week ¨C he is keen to see ¡°meaningful change¡± follow the broad sense of direction outlined in the document.

¡°What I really hope to see is some meaningful policy change that enables [collaboration]. Direction matters, but action matters more.¡±

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The White Paper came on the back of the government announcing a new target to increase the number of people getting higher-level skills last month.

But while Labour has spoken a lot about the education system of late, Kett believes that, without much money to ¡°splash around¡±, further and higher education are still nowhere near the top of its priorities.

The White Paper has been criticised as lacking detail?on what concrete changes will be made to back up the broad vision it outlines.

Kett however sees it as a collection of technocratic changes, all of which, if added together, could make a difference.

¡°The White Paper is a surprisingly wide range of smaller changes to drive a focus on opportunity and on economic growth, rather than a set of big initiatives or changes,¡± he said.

For example, it outlines plans to?simplify oversight of higher-level study, with the Office for Students acting as a primary regulator for all higher education providers, including further education colleges delivering higher education.

Such a simplification could remove significant bureaucracy and disincentives to integration, Kett said, but there was more to do.

The importance of employer engagement and participation in the skills system is clear throughout the White Paper, according to Kett.

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¡°It was disappointing, therefore, that beyond an indication of some limited changes to the Apprenticeships and Growth Levy, there was not more to strengthen incentives on employer investment and participation in workforce skills.¡±

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As a civil servant, Kett was responsible for overseeing the post-16 education and training system in England and was principal adviser to the secretary of state on higher education, further education and adult skills.

Recent polling showed that the public?seem to be very supportive of the political class¡¯ growing preference for further education.

¡°At a system level, I think higher education has a reputation problem,¡± said Kett. ¡°I think FE has a reputation problem, that¡¯s very different. The more people understand about FE, the more they like it.

¡°The more people understand about HE, unfortunately, the more they dislike it, and that is the problem we¡¯ve got into.¡±

He said higher education has made the mistake of championing big numbers on the sector¡¯s economic impact and lost focus on the personal stories and the benefits it brings to individuals.

Both research-intensive universities and those?that are more focused on serving their local community need to ¡°play to their strengths¡± rather than trying to ¡°do everything¡± to win back public support, he added.

At a time of many changing hands at the top of UK universities, Kett¡¯s appointment stood out in a world still dominated by academic leaders.

While he admitted that his status as an ¡°outsider¡± may have created some ¡°uncertainty¡± among staff, Kett said his background means he can act as ¡°a poacher, a gamekeeper and a rabbit¡± ¨C having seen things from both sides of the fence and as an independent third-party looking in.

As a non-academic he said he has worked to bring scholars onside early by listening to them but does believe the sector needs more senior leaders who have spent time elsewhere ¨C provided they are part of a solid leadership team.

¡°The starting point for any university on the question of vice-chancellor or any other senior exec is wanting to attract the very best, broadest field that¡¯s possible.

¡°If you¡¯re saying I¡¯m only going to look at people whose vast majority of their career is in academia, you¡¯re not maximising the talent pool that¡¯s available.¡±

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patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com