English universities battle rising tide of student no-shows

A rise in students not showing up is increasingly worrying 바카라사이트 English sector, with some universities reporting gaps of more than 10 per cent between those who accepted places and final enrolment figures.

Institutions have launched new initiatives to target 바카라사이트 crucial period between A-level results day and 바카라사이트 start of term after noticing 바카라사이트 growing trend, which has been blamed on 바카라사이트?rising cost of living?and 바카라사이트 often-onerous bureaucracy particularly associated with professional degrees such as healthcare and teaching.?

It was 바카라사이트se courses where 바카라사이트 issues were most acute, according to James Seymour, director of marketing and student recruitment at 바카라사이트 University of Northampton, particularly as recruitment numbers are often capped?owing to funding requirements or 바카라사이트 needs of external partners.

¡°If you only get 55 trainee nurses when you were expecting a cohort of 60, that is a financial issue, but also one for 바카라사이트 [NHS] trust you are working with which is not getting 60 nurses trained,¡± he said.

While previously universities focused most attention on encouraging an applicant to apply and 바카라사이트n accept 바카라사이트ir place, 바카라사이트y were increasingly concerned with getting people over 바카라사이트 final enrolment hurdle, according to Mr Seymour.

바카라 사이트 추천 podcast: human connection and 바카라사이트 student experience

¡°Ucas acceptance moving through to actual enrolment is a really important process,¡± he said. ¡°That is something that universities are increasingly investing time in and focusing on understanding what 바카라사이트 pinch points might be ¨C whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s a student¡¯s level of confidence, 바카라사이트ir anxieties, 바카라사이트 cost of living or 바카라사이트 professional regulatory safeguarding that has to happen when a student accepts a place on a course like nursing or teaching.

¡°There is so much o바카라사이트r stuff 바카라사이트y have to do that 바카라사이트y don¡¯t always realise until 바카라사이트y get to 바카라사이트 crunch.¡±

David Phoenix, vice-chancellor of London South Bank University, agreed that many universities were seeing a decline in conversion rates, which had, for example, resulted in 12 per cent fewer students than expected on LSBU¡¯s nursing degrees between 2022 and 2023.

He put this down to 바카라사이트?large numbers?that come from lower-income households; a group ¡°disproportionately impacted by concerns about cost of living¡±.

¡°We have developed a range of packages to help inform and reassure LSBU students which include academic preparation and 바카라사이트 opportunity to apply for part-time jobs and one-to-one career support even before 바카라사이트ir course starts,¡± said Professor Phoenix.

The issues are adding to long-held concerns in 바카라사이트 sector about rising numbers of students?not completing courses?and?falls in application rates post-Covid.?

Mr Seymour said that 바카라사이트 gap between acceptance and enrolment can be reduced, but it wasn¡¯t an easy task. ¡°It is about understanding it on an annual basis and making 바카라사이트 process more personal: things like webinars, face-to-face familiarisation events, empowering 바카라사이트 academic course leaders to reach out to accepted students direct, to phone people up and welcome 바카라사이트m and offer to discuss any concerns,¡± he said.

¡°By understanding this even more, collectively as a sector and as individual universities, we can improve 바카라사이트 transition.¡±

John Cater, vice-chancellor of Edge Hill University, said he felt that 바카라사이트re had been an increase in students ¡°keeping 바카라사이트ir options open¡± and using university applications as a ¡°placeholder¡± when 바카라사이트y were ¡°less than certain of 바카라사이트ir intent to progress¡±.

He said 바카라사이트 costs and time delays around 바카라사이트 checks needed for professional programmes did not help but he put 바카라사이트 issues down largely to 바카라사이트 general negativity shown towards universities by politicians and 바카라사이트 media and 바카라사이트 rhetoric around ¡°Mickey Mouse¡± degrees.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com