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29.04.14

Public sector cuts linked to fall in part-time studying

Public policy changes and the recession are likely to have influenced the “sharp decline” in part-time study since 2010 in publicly-funded higher education. 

This is according to a new Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) report,  ‘Pressure from all sides: Economic and policy influences on part-time higher education’, which shows that umbers of part-time UK and EU undergraduate entrant numbers in 2013-14 are almost half what they were in 2010-11. 

Overall numbers fell by 120,000 – from 259,000 in 2010-11 to 139,000 in 2013-14. And the report links the decline to a number of economic factors which, combined with public policy changes, have “exerted continuous downward pressure on demand for part-time courses over the past five years”. 

The HEFCE report highlighted that funding for people studying for qualifications equivalent or lower to one they already have (ELQs) was withdrawn at the start of the recession in 2008-09. 

It also revealed that there is a strong relationship between unemployment rates and the take-up of part-time education.  For instance, the North East of England has seen the highest unemployment rate and the largest decline in entry to part-time higher education. 

Additionally, the numbers of UK and EU entrants with direct financial backing from their employers for undergraduate part-time study fell sharply from 40,000 in 2011-12 to 23,000 in 2012-13. And a significant fall in employer  financial backing was also seen for postgraduate students between 2010-11 and 2012-13. 

However, the most dramatic declines in part-time study have been at undergraduate level. In 2003-04, 45% of undergraduate entrants were studying part time, whereas by 2013-14 this had fallen to 27%. 

Madeleine Atkins, HEFCE chief executive, said: “There have been major declines in part-time higher education in recent years. However, trying to return to where we were in 2008 will not give us what we need in future – the economy, technologies and the wider world have changed. 

“HEFCE will continue to support a higher education system characterised by quality and diversity, which helps equip students and employers to address the challenges and opportunities that face them.” 

The report stated these declines cannot be attributed to a single factor. Rather, a range of economic and policy pressures have come together - some directly and some not directly related to higher education - to contribute to the “significant” decline. 

But Claire Callender, professor of higher education studies at the Institute of Education, University of London, told THE: “We have no sense from this report which are the most important changes driving the decline in part-time student numbers, and as result, what policy responses are needed to stem the decline.” 

In contrast to the study, a BIS spokesperson told PSE: “Studying part-time can offer enormous benefits for individuals, the economy and employers. For the first time tuition fee loans are now available to new part-time students, which is helping to create a level playing field. 

“The government is also reversing the rules which stopped people from getting financial support to retrain in engineering and technology part-time. This will ensure the nation has the skills we need to keep our businesses ahead in the global race. We are calling on all universities to ensure that part-time options are highly visible and information on student finance is up to date.” 

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