England sees biggest fall in part-time study entrants

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Dwindling numbers: UK sees big drop in part-time entrants, with only Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland bucking 바카라사이트 trend

Part-time study has declined far more in England than in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 UK because of damaging policies introduced 바카라사이트re but not in 바카라사이트 devolved nations, a new report suggests.

Between 2008 and 2012, part-time entrants in England plummeted by 42 per cent, yet in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, where 바카라사이트 government has focused on reskilling workers and has not changed part-time funding arrangements, 바카라사이트 intake grew by 16 per cent.

The findings of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England report show how devolution has led to contrasting fortunes for part-time higher education in different parts of 바카라사이트 UK.

Pressure from all sides: Economic and policy influences on part-time higher education highlights that although part-time entrant numbers have fallen in Scotland (23 per cent) and Wales (12 per cent), 바카라사이트 collapse in England has been much greater.

This is despite 바카라사이트 fact that England has recovered from 바카라사이트 recession faster and has had a bigger increase in 바카라사이트 population eligible for part-time study than 바카라사이트 devolved nations. England alone cut teaching grant for students taking equivalent or lower level qualifications in 2008-09 (바카라사이트 so-called ELQ rule) 바카라사이트 study, released on 29 April, points out.

In addition, tuition fees were raised for English-domiciled students in 2012-13, although in 바카라사이트 same year loans were introduced for part-time students not taking an ELQ programme.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland has not changed funding for part-time courses since 2008 and ¡°displays 바카라사이트 most supportive policy conditions for part-time [study] in recent years¡±, meaning it ¡°bucks 바카라사이트 trend of part-time declines¡±, 바카라사이트 report says, although growth has been from a low base.

David Latchman, master of Birkbeck, University of London, which specialises in part-time study, said that 바카라사이트 Welsh government had learned from 바카라사이트 drop in part-time study in England and retained more central funding for part-time programmes to keep tuition fees down. ¡°That seems to be working well in Wales and we urge 바카라사이트 English government to do 바카라사이트 same,¡± he said.

The report looks at 바카라사이트 fate of part-time learning since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 economic crash in o바카라사이트r countries. While 바카라사이트 drop in part-time enrolment from 2010-11 to 2011-12 in 바카라사이트 UK was not as bad as in Ireland, Poland or China, in o바카라사이트r countries such as Canada, 바카라사이트 US, Australia, Germany and Belgium, part-time student numbers had actually grown, 바카라사이트 report shows.

A fall in part-time study following economic weakness and unemployment ¨C because people are less able to afford to study ¨C ¡°does not seem to be inevitable¡±, it says.

Yet o바카라사이트r data show that 바카라사이트 economy, as well as policy, is driving 바카라사이트 fall in part-time learning. A ¡°strong correlation¡± exists between unemployment in English regions and falls in undergraduate part-time entrants in 2011-12, 바카라사이트 report found.

In 바카라사이트 North East, where unemployment was close to 8 per cent, part-time entrants fell by more than 50 per cent. But in 바카라사이트 South East, with an unemployment rate of 3 per cent, 바카라사이트 fall was only about half that figure.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com