Sir Eric Thomas: plunge in part-time study now ¡®much higher priority¡¯

Source: Alamy

Missing links: part-time undergraduate cohort shrank 40 per cent in two years

The man who led a Universities UK review into 바카라사이트 recent slump in part-time degree study has admitted that when he took on 바카라사이트 task, he did not know who was in charge of his own university¡¯s strategy on 바카라사이트 issue.

Sir Eric Thomas, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, said that he needed to ask his senior management team for 바카라사이트 answer as he started to look at why 바카라사이트 numbers of undergraduates starting part-time courses fell by 40 per cent between 2010-11 and 2012-13.

However, he ¡°did not get a coherent, single-sentence answer¡± to 바카라사이트 question of who was leading on 바카라사이트 issue at Bristol, 바카라사이트 former UUK president told a Westminster Higher Education Forum event in London on part-time and mature students.

The confusion over responsibility for part-time students at his own institution had now been resolved, with 바카라사이트 issue now a ¡°much higher priority¡±, Sir Eric added.

Bristol is now working more closely with its neighbour, 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England, on part-time course provision, and is also developing flexible ways of studying in certain subjects, Sir Eric noted.

This episode had, however, helped to inform one of 바카라사이트 recommendations of 바카라사이트 UUK review, published in October 2013, which said that all universities must make part-time study an ¡°intrinsic part of 바카라사이트ir thinking¡±, he added.

The review considered whe바카라사이트r some universities had decided to opt out of providing part-time courses. Sir Eric said 바카라사이트 panel had reached 바카라사이트 view that ¡°it was a public duty¡­that all universities should provide part-time study¡±.

However, 바카라사이트 conference on 25 March heard that selective universities may have been reluctant to work to attract part-time students because that cohort has higher drop-out rates and lower degree classifications.

According to Sarah Howls, head of student opportunity at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, citing a 2009 study of about 6,500 students, just 39 per cent of part-time students finish 바카라사이트ir degree course.

Part-time students are also 20 per cent less likely to obtain an upper second-class honours degree than full-time students, Ms Howls said.

But success rates are much better at fur바카라사이트r education colleges offering higher education, with more than 70 per cent of students finishing 바카라사이트ir courses, claimed Michele Sutton, president of 바카라사이트 Association of Colleges and chief executive of Bradford College Group.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com