Ufi Limited has published its Strategic Plan 2002-2005 - Transforming Learning: Changing Lives.

The plan outlines Ufiís plans for expanding the adult learning market, improving the quality of e-learning and raising the skills levels of the workforce over the next three years.

Launched at Ufiís annual Spring partner conference at Blackpool, the plan builds on Ufiís engagement in learning of over 300,000 individual citizens and members of the workforce in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the 18 months since its official launch.

It sets out targets and performance indicators for the next three years, with the objective of engaging one million learners a year by 2004-05 through learndirect. To achieve this, Ufi will work with partners to further improve the quality of provision and support the embedding of e-learning in the adult curriculum.

learndirect - the nationwide supported e-learning network The new model for learning developed by Ufi through learndirect - which combines the flexibility of on-line delivery with face-to-face support at partner-operated learndirect centres and learning centres in the workplace, and on-line support through the National Tutor Database and e-learning communities - lies at the heart of the way that learndirect appeals to learners.

Learners from 70,000 small to medium-sized enterprises will account for a proportion of the one million learners to be reached by 2004/05, across both publicly funded and employer-funded routes.

Prominence is given in the plan to learndirect helping people with the skills for life needs of literacy and numeracy. Ufi aims for there to be 125,000 learndirect learners a year taking, between them, 250,000 numeracy and literacy courses by 2004/05, and for learndirect learners to account for 10 per cent of governmental targets in England , Wales and Northern Ireland of those taking and passing national tests to assess levels of achievement in literacy and numeracy.

A key priority for Ufi is its role in helping to create a culture of lifelong learning in which adults develop their skills throughout their lives. Of the one million learners aimed for by 2004/5, 350,000 will be ënewí learners - those returning to learning having done no learning for the preceding three years or more.

Ufi aims to encourage 75 per cent of learners to take a further course - with learndirect or through other providers - by 2004/05. Ufi has set a target of 30 per cent of learndirect learners a year taking one or more additional learndirect courses after their initial registration, also by 2004/05.

The learndirect national learning advice line

Ufi has established a target of 1.9 million calls annually from individuals and businesses to the learndirect national learning advice line by 2004/05, and for the learning and careers information services delivered through the learndirect website at www.learndirect.co.uk to achieve four million web hits by that date.

Ufi published its draft strategic plan in November 2001. The plan published last month reflects feedback received through the consultation process between November 2001 and January 2002.