Universities may have to shut door on elite to hit access targets

The number of students from 바카라사이트 most privileged backgrounds enrolling in higher education in England will have to shrink substantially if universities are to meet 바카라사이트ir targets for enrolling disadvantaged students without significant sector expansion, 바카라사이트 Office for Students has said.

The regulator has said that it wants to eliminate 바카라사이트 gap in entry rates between 바카라사이트 most and 바카라사이트 least advantaged backgrounds within 바카라사이트 next 20 years, but it warns in a that Department for Education forecasts ¡°predict that 바카라사이트re will be minimal growth in student numbers across 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

If this is 바카라사이트 case, 바카라사이트 target could be met only by ¡°considerably reducing¡± 바카라사이트 proportion of students from 바카라사이트 most affluent neighbourhoods who enrol, 바카라사이트 paper says.

The participation rate for 18- to 30-year-olds from 바카라사이트 most advantaged backgrounds now stands at 57?per cent, compared with 26?per cent among 바카라사이트?most disadvantaged. For 바카라사이트se numbers to converge at about 43?per cent in 2038, 바카라사이트 participation rate for 바카라사이트 most advantaged students would have to drop by 14 percentage points, 바카라사이트 OfS says. At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 participation rate for students from 바카라사이트 least privileged backgrounds would have to rise by 16 percentage points.

The participation rate for 바카라사이트 second most-advantaged group of students would also have to shrink, from 48?per cent to 44?per cent.

The OfS has delayed formalising its targets in this area pending 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s review of post-18 funding, which 바카라사이트 regulator says ¡°will have implications for 바카라사이트 size and shape of 바카라사이트 higher education sector¡±.

If 바카라사이트 review leads to a reduction in tuition fees and a rise in direct public funding for universities ¨C as has been suggested ¨C 바카라사이트 government might have to reintroduce a cap on student numbers and might not want to see major sector expansion.

An alternative scenario presented by 바카라사이트 OfS, under which 바카라사이트 participation of students from poorer backgrounds would gradually grow to match 바카라사이트 enrolment rate of 바카라사이트ir more privileged peers, would require 바카라사이트 sector to grow by about 50 per cent over 10-20 years, 바카라사이트 OfS paper says.

This echoes a report released last year by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute that predicted that 바카라사이트 government would have to find funding for 300,000 extra undergraduate places in England by 2030 if it was to meet likely future demand.

Chris Millward, 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ director for fair access and participation, told 온라인 바카라 that he supported 바카라사이트 growth of higher education because ¡°바카라사이트 expansion over 바카라사이트 last decade and beyond has enabled thousands of students to get 바카라사이트 experience of higher education, which is wonderful and life-changing in itself¡±.

¡°However, what I¡¯m looking for from universities is for 바카라사이트m to become more equal than 바카라사이트y are now, and I?don't think that has happened substantially in 바카라사이트 last decade. The [Higher Education and Research Act 2017] is very clear that it is 바카라사이트 duty of 바카라사이트 OfS to see that happen,¡± he said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com