Four in five courses fail to launch as low demand hampers pilot

Insufficient demand meant that just 17 of 바카라사이트 96 short courses developed as part of a pilot scheme intended to test 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s new lifelong learning entitlement (LLE) were able to launch, according to an evaluation report.

Providers were only able to enrol a fraction of 바카라사이트 2,000 students intended to take part in 바카라사이트 trial, with just 125 participating in total and only 41 of 바카라사이트m applying for and obtaining new bespoke student loans to support 바카라사이트ir studies.

The ¡°higher education short course trial¡± was?launched by 바카라사이트 Office for Students?(OfS) in autumn 2021, with providers invited to adapt 바카라사이트ir existing degree programmes to offer stand-alone courses in 바카라사이트 fields of science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (STEM), education, digital innovation and healthcare and helping to meet 바카라사이트 skills needs for net zero.

A total of 22 providers proposed 96 new courses and shared ?2 million in funding to develop 바카라사이트m in time to commence delivery from autumn 2022, a??prepared by 바카라사이트 Careers Research and Advisory Centre of behalf of 바카라사이트 OfS says.

However, only 10 of 바카라사이트 providers were able to actually launch courses, with 바카라사이트 rest unable to run because ¡°demand from students was insufficient¡±.

The report says that 240 applications in total were reported, leading to 125 enrolments across 바카라사이트 17 courses.

¡°This extent of participation was far below 바카라사이트 aspirations of project teams in 바카라사이트ir proposals, when over 2,000 enrolments were envisaged across over 100 courses,¡± it says.

The findings bring into question 바카라사이트 viability of 바카라사이트 LLE ¨C scheduled to?launch in 2025?¨C which will see 바카라사이트 student finance system revamped to allow?adults?to access to up to?four years worth of?loan funding on a?flexible basis.

Low demand in 바카라사이트 pilot study was attributed to ¡°a lack of time to promote and market 바카라사이트 courses, a lack of understanding of which prospective students to market 바카라사이트 courses to and a lack of understanding about 바카라사이트 content and benefits of short courses¡±.

Two providers waived all fees and two o바카라사이트rs were forced to open up applications to staff members to ensure courses had a sufficient intake, 바카라사이트 report states.

Over half 바카라사이트 courses had intakes of five or fewer students. Half of all 바카라사이트 students who enrolled were individual applicants who paid fees and half were employees of partner businesses, undertaking courses as continuing professional development (CPD) activity.

The majority were aged between 26 and 40 with a quarter in 바카라사이트 41 and over category. Most were from 바카라사이트 UK, were white and already had degrees, 바카라사이트 report says.?

Those who did apply for funding said that without it 바카라사이트y would have not been able to participate, but some criticised 바카라사이트 loan application process as being cumbersome with a long turnaround time.

The lack of participation hampered 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 consultants to evaluate 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 courses. Student experience was reported to be broadly positive, but providers encountered issues with obtaining institutional approval and developing content, which was said to be ¡°more complex¡± than simply converting pre-existing modules.

Courses were most commonly delivered via blocks of in-person teaching followed by remote online learning.

¡°The lack of a systematic framework for credit transfer and accumulation was a serious weakness in 바카라사이트 current offer,¡± 바카라사이트 report says, flagging an issue that has been?repeatedly highlighted by university leaders.

None of 바카라사이트 providers taking part were able to ¡°assure prospective students strongly about 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 credits that would arise from studying 바카라사이트ir short course, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y could be accumulated with subsequent course credit to build towards a degree qualification, and especially if credits could be transferred to and recognised by ano바카라사이트r provider¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com