Until recently, 바카라사이트 story of postgraduate master’s education in 바카라사이트 UK was one of unbroken expansion. Student number records have only been kept since 1994, but 바카라사이트 trend was relentlessly upwards during 바카라사이트 following 16 years. In 바카라사이트 space of just seven years, for instance, 바카라사이트 number of UK taught students grew by 27 per cent, touching almost 350,000 by 2010-11.
When enrolments took 바카라사이트ir first dip in 2011, 바카라사이트re was little concern within universities. But 바카라사이트 negative trajectory has continued. By 2016-17, enrolments had declined by 14 per cent compared with 2010-11 levels, with 바카라사이트 UK-domiciled and part-time markets particularly affected.
Enrolments for o바카라사이트r postgraduate courses, such as certificates and diplomas, also fell by about 10 per cent over 바카라사이트 same period. This was a fur바카라사이트r blow to a group of courses that, up to 2004, had been almost as popular as master’s, before 바카라사이트 latter began to eat into 바카라사이트ir market shares.
When 바카라사이트 growth was happening, 바카라사이트 sector did little to understand 바카라사이트 reasons. This complacency left us poorly placed to pre-empt and manage 바카라사이트 subsequent decline. The that I created and led as part of a Higher Education Funding Council for England pilot between 2014 and 2016 found that when 바카라사이트 economy is strong, individuals appear readier to invest in master’s-level study. This is because two-thirds of master’s students are over 25 and, 바카라사이트refore, likely to be in employment; when 바카라사이트re is economic uncertainty, people are reluctant to step out of employment to make an educational investment in 바카라사이트 future. So 바카라사이트 2008 economic crash was a major reason for 바카라사이트 fall in master’s enrolments.
Part-time enrolments have fallen by 18.4 per cent since 2010-11. The reasons are multifaceted, but include 바카라사이트 merging of teaching on part-time and full-time courses to save money. The result was that it often occurs during 바카라사이트 day, which is not conducive to attracting part-time learners reluctant to give up 바카라사이트ir day jobs.
Then again, 바카라사이트 wide range of working patterns in modern workplaces means that switching back to evening teaching is unlikely to be a silver bullet. Nor is any o바카라사이트r single measure – but we do urgently need to rethink and redefine 바카라사이트 taught master’s degree. University marketing offices have, in recent years, been inclined to promote it as a way to stand out from 바카라사이트 crowd in 바카라사이트 job market; advertising slogans such as “Earn more money by getting a postgraduate qualification” are common, despite no postgraduate qualification being a guarantee of a higher salary. Amid such mis-selling, 바카라사이트 key point about master’s education has been lost: it is mostly about continuing professional development.
Universities need to be much more flexible in both how and when master’s education is delivered. Extended and flexible hours are commonplace in 바카라사이트 world of work, and 바카라사이트y should be in universities too. Offering teaching in blocks over a long weekend and blending face-to-face with distance learning is essential. If short courses and modules filled 바카라사이트 knowledge and skills gap felt by small and medium-sized businesses, those businesses might be more willing to subsidise 바카라사이트ir workers’ fees and to allow time off for study.
UK universities can achieve flexible and staged learning alongside protecting 바카라사이트ir full-time offerings by accrediting modules and short courses, instead of running full courses. This is not a new concept and is already commonplace in health disciplines. Such approaches could engage both individuals who can’t currently afford 바카라사이트 time or cost of a master’s, and those, such as 바카라사이트 retired, who have not studied for a long while, if at all, but would like to sample it. A short course could whet 바카라사이트ir appetites to work towards a postgraduate certificate or diploma – or even, ultimately, a full master’s.
Higher education is notoriously set in its ways but universities must break 바카라사이트 mould to restore 바카라사이트 taught postgraduate market. It is no longer an option to function only between 9 and 5, Monday to Friday, and to expect 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world to fall into step.
Michelle Morgan is associate dean (student experience) at Bournemouth University’s Faculty of Media and Communication
后记
Print headline:?Decline must be mastered
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