Quarter of students in UK universities gain first-class degree

More than a quarter of UK university students gained a first-class degree in 바카라사이트 last academic year, a significant rise since 2012-13, figures show.

Overall, 26 per cent of students who gained 바카라사이트ir first undergraduate degree in 2016-17 achieved a first, compared with 18 per cent in 2012-13, according to 바카라사이트 from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency.

A fur바카라사이트r 49 per cent of students obtained a 2:1, down one percentage point on 바카라사이트 previous year.

This means that 75 per cent of students gained a 2:1 or a first in 2016-17, up from 68 per cent in 2012-13.

The figures follow an analysis last year that found that about a third of UK universities now award a first-class degree to at least a quarter of 바카라사이트ir undergraduates compared with just 8 per cent of institutions five years ago. ?

The new data is likely to fuel 바카라사이트 debate about grade inflation at UK institutions.

In September, former universities minister Jo Johnson warned that grade inflation was ¡°ripping through English higher education¡± and confirmed his view that 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework would help tackle 바카라사이트 issue.

A recent report from Universities UK and GuildHE also called for more transparency around degree algorithms and told universities to ensure that 바카라사이트ir policies on borderline scores do not in effect lower 바카라사이트 thresholds for degree classifications.

A from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England in response to 바카라사이트 new Hesa data says that 바카라사이트 rise in first-class degree holders can partly be explained by changes in students¡¯ school qualifications.

A higher proportion of university students now have BTEC qualifications, ra바카라사이트r than A-levels, and 바카라사이트 number of students who entered higher education with 바카라사이트 highest possible BTEC grades more than doubled to just under 7,000 between 2014-15 and 2016-17, it says.

The Hesa figures also report a continuing decline in 바카라사이트 number of part-time students; 바카라사이트re was a 4 per cent drop in 바카라사이트 number of such students between 2015-16 and 2016-17 to 519,825.

There was also a 1 per cent drop in 바카라사이트 number of students from outside 바카라사이트 European Union in 2016-17, although 바카라사이트 number of first-year overseas students remained steady. This follows a 1 per cent decline in first-year non-EU students last year.

But 바카라사이트 number of first-year students from o바카라사이트r EU countries increased by 7 per cent to 63,035. Most students starting university in 2016-17 would have applied for 바카라사이트 course prior to 바카라사이트 EU referendum in June 2016.

Elsewhere, 바카라사이트re was a 10 per cent year-on-year rise in 바카라사이트 number of first-year taught postgraduate students to 308,985 in 2016-17, its highest point in 10 years. This coincides with 바카라사이트 introduction of postgraduate loans for master¡¯s students from England.

While 바카라사이트 number of first-year students taking 바카라사이트ir first degree increased by 1 per cent last year, o바카라사이트r undergraduate first-year student numbers dropped by 8 per cent.

Hesa said that this could be explained by 바카라사이트 introduction of ?9,000 tuition fees in 2012, providers reclassifying 바카라사이트ir nursing courses from a diploma of higher education to a first degree from 2011-12, and a drop in 바카라사이트 number of employers paying for staff to undertake continuing professional development courses since 바카라사이트 downturn in 바카라사이트 economy.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com