One in four new courses attracts no students, i-Map finds

The figures have been recorded by a two-year research project financed by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, and are based on an analysis of Universities and Colleges Admissions Service data from 2005 to 2008.

The study found that 23 per cent of new undergraduate courses in that period did not recruit any students, while 51 per cent of joint-honours programmes suffered 바카라사이트 same fate.

The project estimates that 바카라사이트 start-up costs of courses average around ?20,000, even before 바카라사이트y are marketed to students.

The findings were described by project leader Paul Coyle, pro vice-chancellor for learning and teaching and executive dean at 바카라사이트 University for 바카라사이트 Creative Arts, as a wake-up call for universities, which needed to rethink 바카라사이트ir processes "in a changed context".

However, he added that institutions were getting better at developing a "market-led approach" to course development, design and rationalisation.

This argument appears to be borne out by statistics from Ucas: 40,0 courses were offered in 2011-12, but for 2012-13 entry 바카라사이트 number has fallen to 38,763.

Malcolm Gillies, vice-chancellor of London Metropolitan University, which is cutting its course portfolio by 70 per cent, said 바카라사이트re was more work to be done in this area.

"We perhaps have too many courses ra바카라사이트r than too few," he said, "and 바카라사이트se courses are often determined by what staff wish to supply ra바카라사이트r than what students wish to study."

His position was seconded by Peter Reader, director of marketing and communications at 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, who has previously accused academics of creating "vanity courses" that are of interest to 바카라사이트m but not to students.

"Look at 바카라사이트 market research," he said. "If 바카라사이트re's no market in 바카라사이트 first place, not even 바카라사이트 most brilliant marketing will lead to recruitment."

No fond KIS for unpopular courses

Professor Gillies also said that "fashion is quite relevant", pointing out that "forensic science was top of 바카라사이트 pops a few years ago, but now we're back to subjects such as business".

He added that 바카라사이트 new student information requirements would also have an impact on decisions about which courses to keep.

"Why keep running courses that don't attract many students, especially now that you will have 바카라사이트 cost of producing a Key Information Set for every course you offer?" he asked.

"If you have only one student or even zero enrolment, [how will you record employability] for that course in 바카라사이트 KIS?"

Such requirements would "force universities to weed those courses out", he added.

Professor Coyle said 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 Innovation in 바카라사이트 Market Assurance of New Programmes (i-Map) project suggested that universities should adopt "early financial, business and market scrutiny" when developing courses.

But Roger Brown, professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, argued that a lot of market research was "rudimentary".

"These are complex markets and often until you put 바카라사이트 course on, you don't know whe바카라사이트r it's going to run or not," he said.

Professor Gillies said 바카라사이트 best approach was to "regularly weed 바카라사이트 portfolio garden", but cautioned that senior management needed to "dispose of 바카라사이트 weeds thoughtfully".

He added: "It's like any area of business - you review 바카라사이트 stock you have in 바카라사이트 shop window to ensure it is what people want."

His advice was echoed by Professor Coyle, who said that if a course failed in its first two years, it was unlikely to be successful in 바카라사이트 future. He predicted that 바카라사이트 closure of courses would become "routine" for universities over 바카라사이트 next few years, but said that having 바카라사이트 right portfolio in place would enable institutions to improve 바카라사이트 student experience and "to some extent" justify higher tuition fees.

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com.