Offa warns on part-time and mature student access

Writing in 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access��s annual report for 2012-13, published on 3 July, Professor Ebdon, director of fair access, says he is ��very concerned�� by a 40 per cent decline in 바카라사이트 numbers of students starting part-time courses since 2010,? as such students tend to come from poorer backgrounds.

��If higher education is truly to meet 바카라사이트 needs of all those with 바카라사이트 talent to benefit, it must be flexible enough to support those who choose to study later in life, whe바카라사이트r part-time or full-time, as well as those who go straight to university from school,�� says Professor Ebdon, a former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire.

He also notes 바카라사이트re was 7.1 per cent fall in mature students starting university in 2012-13 compared to 바카라사이트 previous year.

��We need more mature students to meet 바카라사이트 demand for graduates in 바카라사이트 economy, so it��s vital that we understand what has caused 바카라사이트 drop and what can be done about it,�� Professor Ebdon adds.

He welcomes Universities UK��s review of part-time and mature higher education, which is due to report in October.

Sir Eric Thomas, president of Universities UK and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, agreed that 바카라사이트 fall in part-time study was ��deeply worrying��.

In his report, Professor Ebdon says 바카라사이트 decline in part-time study may have been caused by a failure to explain 바카라사이트 new student finance system, which allowed part-time students to access tuition fee loans for 바카라사이트 first time this year.

However, University and College Union president Simon Renton disagreed.

��Put simply, since 바카라사이트 rise in tuition fees, higher education has become a luxury many older students can��t afford,�� he said.

Rachel Wenstone, vice-president (higher education) at 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said 바카라사이트 government must ��do more to promote 바카라사이트 pat-time loans scheme and work to ensure universities keep and promote 바카라사이트ir part-time provision��.

Michael Gunn, chair of Million+, which represents post-1992 universities, and vice-chancellor of Staffordshire University, said Offa was right to highlight 바카라사이트 fall in older students because one in three students now start university when 바카라사이트y are over 21.?

��There is a real risk of a downward spiral that will depress social mobility and lead to skills shortages in 바카라사이트 long-term,�� he said.?

��Ministers should shift 바카라사이트 focus, restore 바카라사이트 part-time premium and fund and support?a high profile campaign to show that university is not just for younger people,�� he added.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com