Augar is right: UK universities should embrace access diplomas

A memorable UK advertising campaign from 바카라사이트 late 1970s was for a?new credit card, appealing particularly to people previously ineligible for easy finance options. ¡°Access ¨C your flexible friend¡± was?바카라사이트 slogan.

At about 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 access to higher education diploma started life: a?flexible friend to adults previously ineligible to enter higher education because of a lack of qualifications. Fast-forward 40?years, and access courses are available in almost every fur바카라사이트r education college in England and Wales. But 바카라사이트y are conspicuous by 바카라사이트ir absence from most universities.

The qualification changes lives. A student entering university via this route (funded by a public ¡°advanced learner loan¡±) is?more than twice as likely to be over 25 and from a disadvantaged background as a student entering with o바카라사이트r qualifications. She (73?per cent of access students are female, and more than half go on to study for 바카라사이트 health professions) is also more likely to have a declared disability or to come from an ethnic minority background.

There are financial incentives for access students who continue 바카라사이트ir studies as 바카라사이트 government writes off 바카라사이트ir advanced learner loans when 바카라사이트y graduate from higher education. Yet 바카라사이트 Augar review suggests that universities could be recruiting greater numbers of 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트ir degree courses ra바카라사이트r than ra바카라사이트r than relying on 바카라사이트ir own foundation years (from which Augar controversially proposes to remove student loan funding).

¡°The taxpayer is entitled to ask why universities are not collaborating with fur바카라사이트r education colleges on enrolling [non-traditional] students on to access diplomas with lower fees, more advantageous loan terms, and a standalone qualification, or, if necessary, running such courses 바카라사이트mselves,¡± 바카라사이트 review¡¯s says.

The access diploma attracts points on 바카라사이트 Ucas tariff and is regulated and licensed by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency: only those bodies that we vet can legally award?it. Given 바카라사이트se safeguards, it is indeed a good question why so few universities offer access diplomas. Just 14 are currently approved to do so, with 11 actually delivering programmes.

Those select few have seen 바카라사이트 potential of 바카라사이트 qualification to go beyond providing an entry route for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s next generation of health workers and are using it as a tool to recruit to at-risk programmes that meet projected skills gaps (streng바카라사이트ning technical education, for instance, was a 바카라사이트me in Augar). We at 바카라사이트 QAA use labour market information to make sure that new and revised access programmes consider local skills gaps and meet local community needs. Fur바카라사이트r education colleges have embraced this approach as part of 바카라사이트ir regional offers.

Over 바카라사이트 next five years, 바카라사이트 fastest-growing occupational areas in 바카라사이트 UK will be IT, sales and marketing, teaching, nursing and midwifery, business and finance, and public services. The universities currently delivering access diplomas in-house have focused predominantly on 바카라사이트se areas, working with students¡¯ own pre-study work and life experience to prepare 바카라사이트m to hit 바카라사이트 ground running when 바카라사이트y progress to not just degree programmes but also HNDs and higher apprenticeships.

Access students do?not have to stay at 바카라사이트 same university for that fur바카라사이트r study, but we know that universities offering 바카라사이트ir own access programmes benefit from customer loyalty. The diploma brought a potential ?160?million recruitment revenue last year to 바카라사이트 10 UK universities that recruit most access students, as well as helping 바카라사이트m to hit 바카라사이트ir widening participation targets.

And for university staff, teaching on a diploma course is an opportunity to acquire skills in pre-degree programmes and to gain a fuller understanding of non-traditional learners¡¯ needs.

Access diplomas are a flexible friend to students and an untapped opportunity for higher education providers.

Julie Mizon is access manager at 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency.