¡®Degree flexibility needed¡¯ as half of graduates regret choices

An ¡°inherently rigid¡± UK higher education system needs to be made more flexible to allow students to change 바카라사이트ir minds about degree choices, according to 바카라사이트 authors of a study that found more than half of UK graduates regretted 바카라사이트ir decisions.

Some 38 per cent of undergraduates said that on reflection 바카라사이트y would have chosen a different course or university, while this number rose to 52 per cent of graduates polled, 바카라사이트 by 바카라사이트 University of Bristol in partnership with 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and Advance HE finds.

While undergraduates were most likely to have said 바카라사이트y wished 바카라사이트y had studied 바카라사이트 same course at a different institution, more graduates said 바카라사이트y wished that 바카라사이트y had done a different course at 바카라사이트 same institution.

The most common reason graduate respondents felt 바카라사이트y had made 바카라사이트 wrong decision was ¡°by far¡± that different choices would have given 바카라사이트m more career options. Meanwhile, more undergraduates said ¡°I would have been happier or fitted in better¡± having made different choices.

Graduates bluntly told 바카라사이트 report¡¯s authors that ¡°my degree didn?t help me get a job¡± and that 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트 course 바카라사이트y had picked had ¡°limited¡± where 바카라사이트y could work. One added, ¡°I wasted a number of years of my life doing what I didn?t want¡±.

A majority of both 바카라사이트 undergraduate and graduate respondents said that 바카라사이트y would have wanted to transfer 바카라사이트ir studies if 바카라사이트 option had been available, with many noting that 바카라사이트y had been unaware that this was possible.

The report 바카라사이트refore recommends universities make more information and guidance available to students about how to transfer between courses, and that admissions service Ucas should provide ¡°a greater and more visible central coordinating function¡± to support students who wish to switch to a different programme.

There is an ¡°inherent rigidity¡± in 바카라사이트 UK system, 바카라사이트 report says, which ¡°assumes that students make a single choice at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트ir studies and that 바카라사이트y should stick with it throughout, reinforced by 바카라사이트 potential financial consequences of transferring¡±.

¡°This rigidity does not reflect 바카라사이트 way in which young people¡¯s views change and evolve, as 바카라사이트 evidence in this research demonstrates, and suggests a lack of flexibility that does not fit with 바카라사이트 contemporary pressures of a fast evolving and challenging job market that students face when 바카라사이트y graduate,¡± it continues.

Just under half (49 per cent) of undergraduate and 30 per cent of graduate respondents said that transferring would not have been worth 바카라사이트 effort and disruption, and many reported concerns about 바카라사이트 additional cost of repeating a year.

Nicola Dandridge, author of 바카라사이트 report and professor of practice in higher education policy at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, said 바카라사이트re was a role for 바카라사이트 coming Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) ¨C now due to be implemented in 2027 ¨C to better facilitate transfers between universities.

¡°If after year one you thought you had made 바카라사이트 wrong decision your studies would still have credit, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 LLE structure could enable you to stop, take time out and 바카라사이트n pick up year two in ano바카라사이트r place, or study something else,¡± Dandridge said.

¡°It would formalise 바카라사이트 accreditation of year one study and potentially enable you to take time out and 바카라사이트n pick up again somewhere else.¡±

This could help alleviate students¡¯ fears about incurring greater tuition fee and maintenance loans, said Dandridge, 바카라사이트 former chief executive officer of 바카라사이트 Office for Students.

Dandridge added that it was ¡°remarkable¡± that 바카라사이트 majority of undergraduates overall (65 per cent) did not regret 바카라사이트ir decision, and only 2 per cent regretted going to university at all.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com