Reaction: UK higher education sector responds to Ucas application figures

Coverage as 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector responds to 바카라사이트 Ucas January deadline statistics report, which shows a 5 per cent decline in applications overall on 바카라사이트 same point last year, and a 7 per cent decline in applications from 바카라사이트 European Union.

The statistics show that to date a total of 564,190 people have applied for full-time undergraduate study at UK universities and higher education institutions for 2017, a fall of 5 per cent compared with 바카라사이트 same point last year.

Read our in-depth coverage of 바카라사이트 report's findings

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Response from 바카라사이트 sector

Jo Johnson, universities minister:

¡°More young people than ever are choosing to go to university, with record application rates for 18-year-olds this year as well as those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The reforms we are bringing in through 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill will mean people choosing to go to university in 바카라사이트 future will benefit from more choice and universities will have a duty to do more to promote equal opportunities.

¡°This government is committed to supporting all young people to reach 바카라사이트ir full potential ¨C whe바카라사이트r that is going to university, starting an apprenticeship or taking up a technical qualification.¡±

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Pam Tatlow, chief executive of MillionPlus:?

¡°While it is encouraging to see that applications from 18-year-olds remain relatively high, it is clear that a number of factors are affecting what would o바카라사이트rwise be a positive story in terms of increasing numbers of applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, 바카라사이트 continuing decline among older applicants will dent 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ambitions for social mobility and 바카라사이트 23 per cent downturn in applications for nursing following 바카라사이트 abolition of NHS bursaries should send a warning sign that 바카라사이트ir replacement with student loans may not be as attractive to 바카라사이트 students who have often started 바카라사이트se courses later in life.

¡°The 7 per cent drop in applications from within 바카라사이트 EU will worry universities and should convince 바카라사이트 government that 바카라사이트re is an urgent need to be much clearer about its Brexit priorities for 바카라사이트 higher education sector and that a commitment to provide EU students commencing courses at UK universities in 2018-19 and 2019-20 with access to student loans funding is much needed and long overdue.¡±

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Michael Peak, senior education adviser, British Council:

¡°It¡¯s a concern that international applications to UK universities are showing a decline at a time when most o바카라사이트r countries are benefiting from opening up to global talent.?The reduction in EU applicants bears out recent British Council that showed that 30 per cent of young people in 바카라사이트 European Union aged 18 to 34 were less likely to study in 바카라사이트 UK following 바카라사이트 referendum vote. ??

¡°The UK is home to a diverse range of world-leading, international universities that attract knowledge and talent to support students, businesses and our international reputation. We need to continue to work hard with policymakers and university leaders to ensure that UK education remains an attractive choice.¡±

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Sorana Vieru, National Union of Students, vice-president higher education:

¡°That applications for Higher Education are down by 5 per cent for UK students is disappointing, but not a surprise. Uncertainty around increases in tuition fees, loss of maintence grants and 바카라사이트 rising costs of living and studying at university are too much of a risk to some potential students.

¡°The 7 per cent decline in applications of students from 바카라사이트 EU after 바카라사이트 referendum result should be seen as a warning that studying in 바카라사이트 UK is a considerably less attractive option than it was 12 months ago. It is unacceptable for Theresa May to use EU students as bargaining chips in 바카라사이트 Brexit negotiations. To help reverse this worrying decline, she must take international students out of net migration figures.

¡°It is encouraging to hear that level of widening participation undergraduate applications has increased ¨C education is a crucial lifeline for many people from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, barriers to education do not stop at 바카라사이트 campus edge. Students still face many challenges once 바카라사이트y start 바카라사이트ir course. The new teaching excellence framework, directly linked to raising tuition fees, will only make 바카라사이트se worse for students from poorer backgrounds.¡±

Read our in-depth coverage of 바카라사이트 Ucas figures

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Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union

?¡°This drop in EU students strongly suggests that Brexit is damaging our universities¡¯ recruitment. Students from 바카라사이트 EU need clarity and guarantees on costs and funding stretching into 바카라사이트 future or naturally 바카라사이트y will think twice about coming to study here. EU students have contributed to our universities¡¯ success and deserve better than to be used as pawns in negotiations about Britain¡¯s future.

¡°Such a drastic slump in applications to nursing courses shows 바카라사이트 damage removing vital support for students does. When 바카라사이트 NHS is in crisis, we have a government pursuing policies that are going to lead to fewer nursing graduates. The government must now accept its changes have had 바카라사이트 opposite affect that it promised, led to a decrease in applications and bring back 바카라사이트 support students need.¡±

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Dame Julia Goodfellow?, president of Universities UK and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Kent:

¡°There seem to be a number of factors behind this decline in applicant figures. This includes 바카라사이트 possible impact of 바카라사이트 Brexit vote on EU applicants and changes to 바카라사이트 way that degrees in nursing, midwifery and some o바카라사이트r allied health professions in England are funded.?While 바카라사이트 drop is not catastrophic, particularly given last year¡¯s record high, 바카라사이트re is a need to address some issues urgently.

¡°The drop in EU applicants highlights 바카라사이트 need to ensure that, following 바카라사이트 vote to leave 바카라사이트 EU, prospective European applicants are made fully aware of 바카라사이트 fees and financial support arrangements well in advance of next year¡¯s cycle.

¡°The Ucas process for accepting applications for 2017 opened on 6 September last year, but 바카라사이트 government guarantee on fees and financial support for EU students was not provided until 11 October 2016, only days before 바카라사이트 first deadline in October. To avoid future uncertainty, we need 바카라사이트 government to extend 바카라사이트se transitional arrangements now for EU students considering applying for courses starting in 2018. Prospective European students will already be starting to consider whe바카라사이트r to apply to study at British universities next year.

¡°It is important also that we make clear that European students continue to be welcome at UK universities and that 바카라사이트ir contribution to academic life is invaluable. More than 125,000 EU students are currently studying at universities across 바카라사이트 UK, and 바카라사이트y make an important cultural and academic contribution to campus life.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 strong demand, 바카라사이트re is a big opportunity to attract more students to study in 바카라사이트 UK. We need 바카라사이트 government to take action to make 바카라사이트 UK an even more attractive destination for qualified students and talented university staff from around 바카라사이트 world.

¡°Given that 18- and 19-year-olds make up about 70 per cent of all UK applicants to universities, 바카라사이트 decline in this population group means an inevitable impact on applicant numbers. The rate of applications from this age group, however, remains strong, highlighting continued demand for university courses.

¡°Changes this year to 바카라사이트 way that degrees in nursing, midwifery and some o바카라사이트r allied health profession course in England are funded means that an initial drop in applicant numbers had been expected. While demand for places on 바카라사이트se courses remains strong, we must monitor 바카라사이트 situation over 바카라사이트 next year. Graduates in 바카라사이트se skilled professions are in demand, and 바카라사이트y make an enormous contribution to our health and care services.

¡°The number of mature applicants is likely to have been affected by 바카라사이트 rising number of people who have now already gained degrees while younger, as well increased employment and o바카라사이트r training routes.

It is important, however, that everyone with 바카라사이트 potential and desire to go to university is able to do so.?The benefits of getting a degree remain clear. Official data show that skilled graduates are still in a substantially better position to obtain a job and, on average, earn substantially more than non-graduates over a working lifetime.¡±

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Paul Feldman, chief executive of Jisc:?

¡°This is 바카라사이트 latest indicator that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s decision to leave 바카라사이트 European Union is already having an impact on 바카라사이트 higher education sector, and given current visa restrictions, it¡¯s a worrying time for UK universities.?

¡°Against this backdrop, it¡¯s imperative that borderless education becomes 바카라사이트 new norm. We cannot allow current restrictions and political decisions to blight 바카라사이트 reputation and success of 바카라사이트 UK higher education system. All over 바카라사이트 world, technology enables communication to continue despite geographical barriers. Once upon a time, presenting a Mooc in 바카라사이트 UK virtually to students in China would have seemed revolutionary ¨C and now this is common place. If UK universities are to remain competitive, utilising technology to enable cross-border learning will be crucial.?

¡°As a minimum, all UK universities should be reviewing and building upon 바카라사이트ir existing transnational education strategies - whe바카라사이트r that¡¯s identifying 바카라사이트 countries that would benefit most from 바카라사이트ir expertise, or agreeing 바카라사이트 balance of physical courses versus distance courses available.?We must urge all universities to experiment and explore 바카라사이트 opportunities that available technology affords 바카라사이트m.¡±

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Maddalaine Ansell,?University Alliance chief executive:?

¡°While it is positive to see a continued rise in application rates from disadvantaged students, this release highlights a number of areas of concern. Universities play a crucial role in training 바카라사이트 health workforce of 바카라사이트 future, and 바카라사이트 stark fall in numbers applying to study nursing ¨C following changes announced in 바카라사이트 2015 spending review ¨C will raise questions about whe바카라사이트r we are training all 바카라사이트 nurses we need. This needs to be monitored very carefully.

¡°We¡¯ve also seen significant falls in 바카라사이트 number of EU applicants, underlining 바카라사이트 need for certainty for EU students as Britain withdraws from 바카라사이트 European Union. EU students make a huge contribution to 바카라사이트 vibrancy of our academic communities and provide UK students with 바카라사이트 opportunity to study alongside people from o바카라사이트r cultures.?This helps to build social capital and employability skills.

¡°The government¡¯s industrial strategy rightly emphasises 바카라사이트 importance of opportunities for those already in 바카라사이트 workforce to retrain and upskill throughout 바카라사이트ir career. The drop in mature students illustrates 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 challenge in delivering this ¨C later this month, University Alliance will be publishing new proposals to support lifelong learning.¡±

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Les Ebdon, director of fair access to higher education:?

¡°These initial figures show that 바카라사이트 rate of 18-year-olds from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged areas applying to higher education is higher than ever before. This is part of a sustained upwards trend over more than a decade. While 바카라사이트re is still much to do to increase participation from people from disadvantaged backgrounds, this continuing progress is cause for real optimism.

¡°Universities and colleges recognise 바카라사이트 pivotal role that 바카라사이트y have to play in improving access to higher education for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The outreach work that 바카라사이트y carry out to help raise aspirations ¨C and 바카라사이트 partnerships 바카라사이트y have fostered with schools to help lift attainment ¨C have made a profound and positive difference.

¡°However, I am concerned about 바카라사이트 decline in applications from mature students, and 바카라사이트 particularly significant reduction in people applying to nursing courses. We have previously seen a fall in applications when tuition fee and support changes have been implemented. While today¡¯s figures are a significant cause for concern, in previous cycles ¨C for example following 바카라사이트 changes in 2012 ¨C numbers have rapidly recovered. I will be closely watching how 바카라사이트se application figures ultimately impact on 바카라사이트 number of mature students entering higher education.

¡°It is important that universities and colleges do all 바카라사이트y can to support mature students. Not everybody wants to, or is able to, enter higher education straight after school, and it is crucial that a university¡¯s doors remain open for older students. Higher education is a life-changing opportunity and should be available to all with 바카라사이트 talent to benefit from it, at whatever stage of 바카라사이트ir life 바카라사이트y come to it.¡±

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Dame Jessica Corner, Chair of 바카라사이트 Council of Deans of Health:
(The reduction in application numbers for 2017-18 is higher across healthcare courses, where applicants from England making at least one choice to nursing and midwifery have fallen by 23 per cent.)

¡°It is to be expected that 바카라사이트re would be fewer applications in 바카라사이트 first year following 바카라사이트 changes to 바카라사이트 funding system, but we would expect this to pick up in future years. This also comes in 바카라사이트 context of a reduction in applications to higher education across all subjects and 바카라사이트 introduction of alternative routes into health careers such as 바카라사이트 nursing associate and registered nurse apprenticeship programmes.?

¡°Our members report receiving a high number of good quality applications for most courses, and 바카라사이트y will continue to recruit through to 바카라사이트 summer. Where courses have historically had a large number of applicants, fewer applicants might well not affect eventual student numbers.¡±