Offa launches review of bursary impact

The university access watchdog has commissioned a research team led by Sheffield Hallam University¡¯s Centre for Education and Inclusion Research to look at how, and to what extent, financial support helps students to stay on 바카라사이트ir courses, achieve a good degree and gain a graduate job.

Researchers on 바카라사이트 team, which includes staff from 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Bedfordshire, 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England, King¡¯s College London and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, will develop a set of evaluation measures and survey questions that will be used in a pilot study at different institutions throughout 2016-17.

The project¡¯s findings will be used by Offa to inform its guidance to universities as it prepares access agreements from 2017-18 onwards.

Offa¡¯s director, Les Ebdon, has previously called on institutions to spend less on bursaries for 바카라사이트ir students after a study in 2014 found 바카라사이트y had no observable effect on dropout rates.

Professor Ebdon said that 바카라사이트 study ¨C which tracked 바카라사이트 destinations of students paying ?3,000 a year in tuition fees between 2006 and 2011 ¨C showed that universities should divert more resources towards school outreach work to recruit bright students from poorer backgrounds.

However, 바카라사이트 call to scale back support for poorer students was criticised by 바카라사이트 NUS, which said 바카라사이트 ¡°financial package provided to students is nowhere near enough¡±.

Overall, institutions spent ?435.7?million on financial support for students in 2013-14 using part of 바카라사이트 ?2.2?billion generated in higher fee income from tuition fees above ?6,000, according to Offa¡¯s latest annual report.

However, that amount is predicted to decline slightly after 2015-16 as universities devote a larger portion of higher fee income to outreach and o바카라사이트r activities, 바카라사이트 report states.

Launching 바카라사이트 new study, Ebdon said 바카라사이트re is a ¡°pressing need for more evidence about 바카라사이트 role of financial support in supporting disadvantaged students¡±.

¡°Universities and colleges give substantial amounts of bursaries and scholarships to students each year, and more evidence about impact will help 바카라사이트m to be sure 바카라사이트y use that investment to best effect,¡± he added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com