Live discussion: do we still need housing degrees?

Keeping staff morale high is essential to run a successful business, but it's arguably even more important in the housing sector where employees can face challenging situations on a daily basis. Happy staff is key to making the housing sector work, and providing training is a good place to start. So with many universities and colleges cutting their housing courses, should the housing sector do more to train its staff in house? According to Inside Housing magazine, the number of Chartered Institute of Housing-accredited undergraduate and postgraduate courses fell from 30 in 2010 to 25 this year. Lesley Matthews, associate dean for learning and teaching in the school of the built and natural environment at Northumbria University, which removed its undergraduate housing course this year, explained that was a lack of interest in housing degrees from younger students. But in the midlands, the CIH hopes to find a solution by setting up a new degree course in conjunction with the city council and staff at Birmingham City University. This course involve "blended learning", where learners partly study alone but regularly meet teachers and other students. So is a degree important in housing? With spending tight and university fees higher than ever before, do you really need a housing degree to work in the sector? Join our panel from 12pm on Monday to discuss the importance of training and developing staff and whether a degree is a necessity. Post your thoughts now or tweet us: @GuardianHousing. Panel: Jude McCaffrey is an area manager for Catalyst Housing Ltd . Jude is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and holds post-graduate degrees in housing (University of West England) and management studies (University of Reading). Joe Wortley has recently completed an MA in town and regional planning and previously studied architecture at undergraduate level. After voluntary community work Joe is now considering a career in housing. Roger Keller is head of education for Chartered Institute of Housing . He is responsible for the CIH awarding organisation, which manages over 20 housing qualifications at levels 2, 3 and 4. Kathy Hanson is the head of learning at the Chartered Institute of Housing . Kathy is responsible for the direct delivery of CIH qualifications through distance learning and blended learning and for the CIH training service. George Griffin is director of learning and development at Penna , an HR consultancy helping organisations to improve their performance through their people. Tony Williams is executive director of organisational development for the Orbit Group . His focus is on people – right skills, right place, right attitude. Chris LeCatsas-Lyus is founder of Career Workouts , a lifelong career management & learning and development company and has worked in personnel development for 20 years across many sectors. Vicky Lomas is HR manager with Symphony Housing Group , one of the largest housing associations in the north west. Vicky has worked in her current position for five years and prior to this worked in HR for a local authority. Owen Buckwell is head of housing management services at Portsmouth City council and has come to be regarded as a leader in the field for his systems thinking approach to the design of his service. Lara Oyedele is CEO of Odu-Dua Housing Association and chair of BMENational which promotes the role of BME housing associations. Lara's first degree is in Media Studies from Loughborough University and her Masters is in Housing Management from London School of Economics. Joe Chambers is CEO at Soho Housing . Joe has worked in affordable housing for 20 years and is a member of the CIH, but does not have a housing or any other degree. This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. Join the housing network for more comment and analysis direct to your inbox.