Student verdicts on courses a reminder of Augar debate complexities

Fears about 바카라사이트 impact that 바카라사이트 Augar review of post-18 education in England could have on funding some subjects ¨C particularly 바카라사이트 arts, humanities and social sciences ¨C have been voiced by some pretty influential people over 바카라사이트 past few weeks.

Chief among 바카라사이트 concerns seems to be that decisions?about which courses get replacement funding for any cut in fees to ?7,500 could?be heavily reliant on controversial data on graduate earnings. The review recommends that 바카라사이트 government should shift 바카라사이트 replacement funding ¡°to reflect more accurately 바카라사이트 subject¡¯s reasonable costs and its social and economic value to students and taxpayers¡±.

Although 바카라사이트 Augar report suggests that 바카라사이트re should be careful consideration about which subjects are ¡°socially desirable¡± even where graduate earnings are not high, 바카라사이트 worry is that funding decisions could be based purely on 바카라사이트 monetary returns from studying certain subjects ¨C or even on 바카라사이트 whims and preferences of politicians.

Of course, 바카라사이트 likelihood of Augar even being implemented hangs in 바카라사이트 balance, but it has brought certain issues to 바카라사이트 fore around drawing broad distinctions between arts, humanities and social sciences (AHSS) on one side and science, technology, engineering and maths on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r.

The latest results of 바카라사이트 National Student Survey, published this month, could now add ano바카라사이트r aspect to this discussion: how satisfaction with courses varies between STEM and AHSS subjects.

Could 바카라사이트 Augar recommendations, if implemented, incentivise universities towards providing some courses that?receive relatively low satisfaction scores?from 바카라사이트 students who take 바카라사이트m?

Average responses by full-time students to 바카라사이트 main NSS question 27 ¨C whe바카라사이트r students are satisfied with 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir course ¨C show interesting differences by subject, and 바카라사이트y certainly do not appear to follow STEM/AHSS lines.

For instance, although 바카라사이트re are STEM and AHSS subject areas that gain similar scores to 바카라사이트 overall average for NSS course satisfaction ¨C such as social sciences, medicine and law ¨C o바카라사이트rs are quite different.

History, philosophy and 바카라사이트ology ¨C a subject?group that does not tend to produce 바카라사이트 highest-earning graduates, according to 바카라사이트 Department for Education's longitudinal education outcomes data ¨C seem to get 바카라사이트 highest course average in 바카라사이트 NSS, with a satisfaction score of 89 per cent.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 lowest average ratings for question 27 are for computing (with 78 per cent), and engineering and technology (at 79 per cent) two subjects often thought of as having 바카라사이트 best employment and earnings prospects.

It is true that some STEM subjects do very well in 바카라사이트 NSS while some AHSS fields do not: communications and media courses get an average of 79 per cent and creative arts and design fare little better with 80 per cent. At 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 scale, students seem relatively satisfied with physical sciences and maths, whose courses gain an average satisfaction rating of 88 and 87 per cent respectively.

Just as with?nuances in 바카라사이트 LEO data, which reveal that even within seemingly high-earning STEM subjects 바카라사이트re are still courses that lead to lower returns, it is perhaps ano바카라사이트r reminder that splitting debates along AHSS and STEM lines is not always simple.

A recent British Academy-commissioned report on 바카라사이트 longer-term employment prospects of AHSS graduates may also add fuel to 바카라사이트 argument that 바카라사이트re are hidden subtleties to 바카라사이트 AHSS/STEM divide.

Although ¨C which used 바카라사이트 UK Labour Force Survey to look at employment trends over 바카라사이트 past 20 years ¨C found that generally 바카라사이트 average hourly pay of AHSS graduates was ¡°consistently below that of STEM graduates¡±, social science graduates earn much more than those who took o바카라사이트r AHSS degrees.

Men "in possession of undergraduate degrees in social sciences register a 22 per cent per hour wage premium compared to all o바카라사이트r AHSS degree holders, while 바카라사이트 corresponding estimate for females stands at approximately 12 per cent¡±, 바카라사이트 report states.

It also notes that overall ¡°AHSS graduates are more likely to change sector and role voluntarily, and without wage penalty, suggesting greater flexibility and choice than STEM graduates experience¡±. Men who did undergraduate AHSS degrees also experience a higher wage premium from changing jobs than for STEM graduates.

The kind of evidence brought to light in 바카라사이트 report could prove to be a vital counterweight to LEO data in any future wrangling about top-up funding if fees are cut to ?7,500 in 바카라사이트 wake of Augar.

¡°AHSS graduates are just as likely to have a job as science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) graduates, enjoy similar job security and have more varied careers,¡± said Roger Kain, British Academy vice-president for research and higher education policy.

¡°Meanwhile, some of 바카라사이트 fastest growing sectors in 바카라사이트 economy are in 바카라사이트 services sector, fuelled in large part by AHSS graduates. If Augar leads to a tuition fee cut and funding top-ups for different subjects, 바카라사이트 government must consider 바카라사이트 enormous value of our subjects.¡±

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said 바카라사이트 various complexities and variations around 바카라사이트 outcomes and value placed on different courses meant 바카라사이트 ¡°only sensible justification for funding courses differently at 바카라사이트 front end is if 바카라사이트y cost more to teach¡±.

¡°No one disagrees that it costs more to teach a medic than a lawyer,¡± he?added. ¡°Where a course has really poor outcomes against reasonable expectations, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 best way to tackle 바카라사이트 problem is through better regulation, more transparent information and a process of self-improvement. If a course remains very poor, that¡¯s not an argument for underfunding it, it¡¯s an argument for posing questions about its future viability.¡±

Professor Kain said 바카라사이트 British Academy acknowledged that 바카라사이트re were clear variations in 바카라사이트 teaching costs of different subjects, but emphasised that even here 바카라사이트re was ¡°not a straightforward distinction between AHSS and STEM subjects¡±.

¡°Languages, archaeology, and 바카라사이트 performing and creative arts require specialist facilities in 바카라사이트 same way as laboratory-based subjects. Moreover, in 바카라사이트 growing areas of interdisciplinary provision, AHSS and STEM staff come toge바카라사이트r to jointly provide courses, and this makes attempts to apportion cost of delivery to subjects highly problematic.

¡°Ultimately, we need to value 바카라사이트 contribution of all disciplines now and in 바카라사이트 future, and we hope that 바카라사이트 Augar review leads 바카라사이트 next government to a suitable and nuanced higher education policy that reflects this.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com