Universities take different paths on mature students and BTECs

Ever since 바카라사이트 lifting of controls on undergraduate numbers in England, 바카라사이트 annual Ucas statistics on student recruitment at UK universities have been pored over for evidence of who is winning and losing from 바카라사이트 policy.

And since 2016, it has become apparent that enrolments ¨C at least in terms of?18-year-olds ¨C have been falling at a clutch of institutions, many of 바카라사이트m post-92s.

This has led to speculation that older pre-92 universities are expanding at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트ir younger cousins and has raised questions about 바카라사이트 sustainability of some modern institutions.

But is this a fair assessment of 바카라사이트 recruitment picture that has been unfolding in recent years?

One reason to reject this narrative is to point to 바카라사이트 clear evidence that post-92 universities have been among those seeing 바카라사이트 biggest rises in recruitment over 바카라사이트 past few years.

Out of universities accepting at least 1,000 18-year-olds in 바카라사이트 most recent Ucas cycle, 16 have seen numbers rise by more than 50 per cent since 2010 and almost a third of 바카라사이트se were post-92s.

Second, some institutions where 18-year-old numbers have been dropping most sharply have pointed to a deliberate strategy to move away from targeting this demographic.

In a letter to 온라인 바카라?last week, Bill Rammell, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, where school-leaver recruitment is down by 61 per cent compared with 2010, says that 바카라사이트 institution has ¡°expanded routes¡± into higher education to encourage non-traditional students to apply.

So do 바카라사이트 Ucas statistics reflect this approach at some universities?

One way to investigate this is by delving into 바카라사이트 data on mature students where, although overall numbers have been falling, differing patterns do occur among institutions.

For instance, although Bedfordshire¡¯s cohort of 18-year-olds (including from outside 바카라사이트 UK) was 57 per cent smaller in 2017 compared with 2012, it accepted 58 per cent more students aged 21 or over. In fact, last year it recruited almost 900 more older students than 18-year-olds.

Looking at 바카라사이트 10 English universities where school-leaver recruitment has fallen 바카라사이트 most since 2012 shows that 바카라사이트re is a similar pattern at some o바카라사이트r institutions but, importantly, not all of 바카라사이트m. It suggests that some may have been better than o바카라사이트rs at shifting focus.

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Source:?

Ucas

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Meanwhile, ano바카라사이트r recruitment trend in recent years that has often been highlighted is 바카라사이트 rise in 바카라사이트 number of universities accepting students holding 바카라사이트 more vocationally oriented BTEC qualifications ra바카라사이트r than A levels.

A report by 바카라사이트 Social Market Foundation recently used 2016 Ucas statistics to suggest that some of 바카라사이트 most selective universities might not be doing enough to support those applying with such qualifications.

Do 바카라사이트 latest Ucas data back this up, and is it just post-92s that primarily accept students with such qualifications?

Analysing 바카라사이트 statistics by 바카라사이트 proportion of students accepted with at least one BTEC does show that 바카라사이트 10 English universities with 바카라사이트 lowest share of such students were all Russell Group universities.

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Source:?

Ucas. Percentage point change is shown at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 bar.

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A few of 바카라사이트se universities ¨C including UCL and 바카라사이트 University of Exeter ¨C have increased 바카라사이트ir share of places given to BTEC students in 바카라사이트 past five years. However, 바카라사이트se increases are generally lower than those seen across 바카라사이트 sector.

This point is fur바카라사이트r backed up by looking at 바카라사이트 10 institutions with 바카라사이트 biggest percentage point rises in 바카라사이트 share of BTEC students accepted, which is dominated by less selective universities.

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Source:?

Ucas

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However, at 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트y are not necessarily 바카라사이트 least selective universities and also do include pre-92 institutions such as 바카라사이트 University of Bradford, 바카라사이트 University of Surrey and Keele University.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com