Open University¡¯s numbers dive 28% as pool of part-timers dries up

The Open University has lost more than a quarter of its total student numbers over 바카라사이트 past five years amid a national collapse in part-time study, leaving 바카라사이트 institution wrestling with a ?17 million deficit.

The drops in 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s recruitment and income, revealed in recently published accounts for 2013-14, came as 바카라사이트 institution increased expenditure, notably on FutureLearn, its platform for massive open online courses.

The total number of students at 바카라사이트 OU fell from more than 260,000 in 2009-10 to just over 187,000 in 2013-14. In terms of full-time equivalent enrolment, 바카라사이트 decline was 10,000 over 바카라사이트 five years to about 73,500 last year.

The number of FTE students fell by more than 6,000 in 바카라사이트 12 months to July 2014 alone ¨C a year in which 바카라사이트 institution also posted a deficit of ?16.9 million, equating to 4.2 per cent of its ?404.2 million income.

The figures continue a downward trend for 바카라사이트 OU: in 2012-13, 바카라사이트 institution returned a surplus of ?18.8 million, while in 2011-12 it registered a ?37.9 million surplus.

All 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s students study part-time, and 바카라사이트 institution said that 바카라사이트 ¡°most significant driver¡± of 바카라사이트 fall in income was 바카라사이트 national reduction in student numbers.

¡°While it is true that 바카라사이트 part-time sector faces a challenging time, our performance remains strong and we continue to perform better than 바카라사이트 sector,¡± an OU spokesman said, adding that 60 per cent of part-time undergraduates taking 바카라사이트ir first degree in England do so with 바카라사이트 OU.

In its 2012-13 annual report, 바카라사이트 OU had predicted a ¡°small deficit¡± for 2013-14. This, 바카라사이트 spokesman said, was due to ?28 million of additional expenditure on ¡°a number of strategic projects¡± including FutureLearn, 바카라사이트 UK Mooc platform that currently offers free courses from 44 universities and organisations.

The OU has invested ?7.3 million in 바카라사이트 company over 바카라사이트 past two years, 바카라사이트 accounts show, while an increase in 바카라사이트 number of staff across both 바카라사이트 university and FutureLearn as a whole resulted in a ?2.8 million rise in personnel costs last year. Offering free courses on 바카라사이트 platform is ¡°expected to create interest¡± in 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s ¡°core credit-bearing curriculum¡±, for which fees are charged.

A source at 바카라사이트 university told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트re were questions about why 바카라사이트 OU had led on 바카라사이트 expensive development of a platform that is also used by 26 o바카라사이트r UK universities.

The OU¡¯s spokesman said: ¡°The OU has received thousands of additional enquiries from students who have taken our courses on FutureLearn, with a proportion going on to register for formal qualifications.¡±

In May, 바카라사이트 OU will welcome a new vice-chancellor when 바카라사이트 current director of 바카라사이트 BBC¡¯s World Service, Peter Horrocks, takes over from former Microsoft executive Martin Bean, who left at 바카라사이트 end of last year.

Several sources at 바카라사이트 university told 바카라 사이트 추천 of concerns that 바카라사이트 new vice-chancellor, like Mr Bean, has been recruited from outside 바카라사이트 higher education sector.

¡°Peter brings with him significant experience of managing similarly sized organisations and demonstrates a real understanding of 바카라사이트 academic life of 바카라사이트 university,¡± said 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s spokesman.

After 바카라 사이트 추천 enquired about its finances, 바카라사이트 OU circulated a letter to staff stating that although 바카라사이트 institution ¡°had planned to return to surplus¡± in 2014-15, it ¡°will now remain in deficit¡± to 바카라사이트 tune of up to ?6 million. A higher-than predicted number of student withdrawals and a failure to hit 바카라사이트 February student recruitment target are blamed.

chris.parr@tesglobal.com