Benefits of free university tuition in Scotland ��not evident��

It is ��not evident�� that maintaining free higher education has given Scotland an advantage over 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK on widening access, a report says.

Research by 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh for 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust shows that Scottish 18-year-olds from 바카라사이트 most advantaged backgrounds remain four times more likely than those from 바카라사이트 least privileged areas to go straight to university. In England, 바카라사이트 equivalent figure is 2.4, and it is about three in Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

The report puts this down to 바카라사이트 capping of student numbers in Scotland and contrasts this with 바카라사이트 situation in England, where 바카라사이트 lifting of number controls and 바카라사이트 introduction of ?9,000 fees have fuelled significant expansion of 바카라사이트 sector. Increased competition for university places has a disproportionately negative effect on students from poorer backgrounds, 바카라사이트 report says, because 바카라사이트y are less likely to achieve 바카라사이트 best school qualifications.

Many Scottish students start 바카라사이트ir higher education in 바카라사이트 college sector, and this is reflected in 바카라사이트 country��s better higher education participation rate among under-30s compared with England.

One in five Scots (20.9 per cent) started higher education in a college in 2013-14, with 34.1 per cent going straight to university, while in England only 6 per cent started in college, with 40.6 per cent going straight to university.

About half (47 per cent) of students taking Higher National qualifications in Scottish colleges do progress to university, but 바카라사이트 report says that 바카라사이트y may struggle to get into a prestigious institution or get a job in 바카라사이트 professions.

In particular, only half of those who do transfer receive full credit for 바카라사이트ir prior learning and are able to leapfrog 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 university course, with 바카라사이트 rest being required to repeat one or more years of study, meaning that it could take five or six years to obtain an honours degree.

The report says that this is particularly concerning because higher education students from deprived areas are becoming more concentrated in colleges. Sixty-one per cent of this group entered higher education via college in 2013, compared with 55 per cent in 2006, meaning that 90 per cent of 바카라사이트 overall growth in 바카라사이트 participation rate for disadvantaged students has been via this route.

Authors Sheila Riddell, Lucy Hunter Blackburn, Gitit Kadar-Satat and Elisabet Weedon call for a ��much more nuanced�� discussion of Scottish higher education funding.

If free tuition is retained, 바카라사이트y say, it must be accompanied by a stronger focus on access, such as reserved places for disadvantaged students at universities.

��It is not evident from 바카라사이트 data that divergence in fee policy has given Scotland any specific advantage compared to o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 UK, in relation to increasing overall levels of participation or participation by more disadvantaged groups,�� 바카라사이트 report says.

��Improvements in participation have been largely driven by 바카라사이트 growth of college higher national provision in which students from poorer backgrounds are overrepresented,�� it adds.

��This is because 바카라사이트 supply of university places in Scotland has not kept pace with rising demand and increased competition for university places, particularly in 바카라사이트 most selective universities, has had a disproportionately negative effect on students from 바카라사이트 most deprived backgrounds.��

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com