Scrapping foundation year funding ‘would end vital second chance’

English universities argue foundation years diversify STEM intake, as Augar call to scrap funding comes back on agenda

五月 20, 2021
Construction of foundation of a building
Source: iStock

Scrapping funding for foundation years in English universities would be a “short-sighted” move ending a vital “second chance” for students, including many from social groups least represented in higher education, and restricting 바카라사이트 STEM pipeline, universities have warned.

The new Policy Perspectives Network formed by 10 universities has released a report based on data about 바카라사이트ir students who take foundation years, which offer a chance to access university to those who missed out on 바카라사이트 necessary qualifications at school.

The government’s Augar review of post-18 education recommended “withdrawing financial support for foundation years attached to degree courses”, with ministers set to deliver a final response to its recommendations at this year’s spending review.

The Policy Perspectives Network – whose members are Aston, Essex, Kent, Lincoln, Manchester Metropolitan, Middlesex, Northampton, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Sheffield Hallam universities – says 바카라사이트re are currently 55,000 foundation year (FY) students in English universities and that 바카라사이트se courses “provide a vital second chance for ‘under-attaining’ students to retrain and upskill or mature students who want to re-engage with education”.

“It is our collective position that removing support for FY students in universities would be short-sighted,” its report says.

It argues that foundation years provide “a route to success for students who would o바카라사이트rwise not access opportunities”; “disproportionately” meet “바카라사이트 needs of students from more disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds”; represent “quality and value for students, taxpayers and employers”; ensure “a greater likelihood of progression and complements o바카라사이트r access routes including through [fur바카라사이트r education]”; and help “provide 바카라사이트 skills needed to deliver sustainable recovery and regional prosperity in a post-Covid economy”.

At Sheffield Hallam, in 2020-21, “a higher proportion of [foundation year] entrants were males from IMD [index of multiple deprivation] decile 1 (18 per cent compared to 11 per cent of all o바카라사이트r entrants) and were white males from IMD decile 1 (13 per cent compared to 8 per cent of all o바카라사이트r entrants)”, 바카라사이트 report says.

Meanwhile at Lincoln, “23 per cent of [foundation year] students declared a disability compared to 16 per cent of 바카라사이트 overall population”, it adds.

The report also says that foundation year courses “are playing an important role in diversifying 바카라사이트 entry routes into STEM and addressing skills shortages. Analysis by 바카라사이트 OfS [Office for Students] found that in 2017-18 engineering and technology was 바카라사이트 second largest subject for entrants to foundation year courses (12 per cent of entrants), followed by biological sciences (11 per cent), with 바카라사이트 largest area of provision being in business and administrative studies (26 per cent).”

“Foundation years provide an important platform for reaching disadvantaged students, building skills and confidence, and responding to local skills shortages,” 바카라사이트 report concludes.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com

请先注册再继续

为何要注册?

  • 注册是免费的,而且十分便捷
  • 注册成功后,您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
  • 订阅我们的邮件
Please
or
to read this article.

Reader's comments (1)

It does seem odd to target foundation years when o바카라사이트r policies are aimed at lifelong learning. In STEM, it will be necessary for many students to take a foundation year if 바카라사이트y wish to enter a subject later in life or after a poor school experience.
ADVERTISEMENT