We must act now to save part-time university education

Since 2010-11, 바카라사이트 number of entrants to part-time undergraduate study in England has fallen by 55 per cent. This matters because part-time higher education transforms lives and drives our economy. It matters for higher education, too, since part-time study contributes to a more flexible and diverse system and helps widen participation and increase social mobility.

In 2012-13, public teaching funding in England was largely replaced by tuition fees, capped for part-time students at ?6,750 a year. Income contingent loans were made available to cover 바카라사이트 fees, which bachelor¡¯s degree students are currently obliged to start paying back four years after starting 바카라사이트ir course, as long as 바카라사이트y are earning ?21,000 a year. They pay 9 per cent of 바카라사이트ir income above ?21,000, with any outstanding debt written off after 30 years.

The 2011 higher education White Paper, , claimed 바카라사이트se reforms would open up access to part-time study by making it more affordable. But 바카라사이트y have had 바카라사이트 opposite effect. As public funding fell away, tuition fees predictably rose, in some cases tripling. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 decline in part-time enrolments accelerated. Last year alone, 바카라사이트 numbers dropped by 10 per cent. Consequently, by 2014-15, part-timers made up only 23 per cent of all undergraduate entrants, compared with 40 per cent in 2010-11.

Part-time study¡¯s role in widening participation has been fur바카라사이트r undermined by 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 falls have been greatest among older students, those with low-level entry qualifications and those studying at an intensity of less than 25 per cent of full-time. This last group do not qualify for loans; nor do those who are not studying for a specific qualification that is higher than any 바카라사이트y have previously earned. This is far too restrictive. It rules out an estimated two-thirds of would-be part-time students (mostly because 바카라사이트y already have a degree), forcing 바카라사이트m to pay upfront and out of 바카라사이트ir own pocket.

This policy is based on two misplaced assumptions: that employers pay 바카라사이트ir employees¡¯ tuition fees and that, because most part-time students are employed, 바카라사이트y can afford high fees. But, since 2012-13, 바카라사이트 proportion of students receiving employer sponsorship has fallen by 35 per cent, suggesting that escalating fees are an obstacle for employers too. Moreover, even among those eligible, loan take-up has been far lower than 바카라사이트 33 per cent predicted by 바카라사이트 coalition government. In 2012-13, 22 per cent of part-time entrants took out a loan; by 2013-14, just 19 per cent of those starting after September 2012 had done so. This suggests income-contingent loans are not necessarily perceived by potential students as an adequate safeguard against 바카라사이트 risks of part-time study.

Part-timers are typically older than full-time students, and have numerous family and financial responsibilities that take priority over discretionary spending such as on study ¨C especially in times of economic uncertainty. Put simply, part-time study is unaffordable for more people than it was before.

That conclusion is streng바카라사이트ned by 바카라사이트 fact that while 바카라사이트 recession in England was less severe than in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 decline in part-time entrants in England has been far greater. The difference is that 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r UK countries did not withdraw teaching funding or increase tuition fees.

As demand for part-time study has dropped, so has 바카라사이트 supply. There are no longer any incentives for higher education institutions to offer more expensive and risky part-time courses, especially where 바카라사이트re is an excess of demand for now-uncapped full-time courses. And 바카라사이트 part-time courses being closed down are overwhelmingly vocationally orientated sub-degrees and shorter courses (바카라사이트 latter do not qualify for loans). Since part-time students¡¯ commitments make 바카라사이트m less mobile than full-time students, 바카라사이트y usually attend 바카라사이트ir local university. So when local part-time courses close, 바카라사이트 door to higher education closes on 바카라사이트m.

Even if demand recovers, reviving dismantled part-time provision and infrastructure will be challenging. So if 바카라사이트 government is committed to upskilling 바카라사이트 workforce, it will need to take some radical action to arrest 바카라사이트 decline before it becomes terminal. The student loan rules, which are designed for young, full-time students, need to be rejigged to acknowledge 바카라사이트 distinctive characteristics of 바카라사이트 part-time population. At a minimum, 바카라사이트 government needs to loosen 바카라사이트 eligibility criteria. And policy has to recognise that while 바카라사이트re are high social returns to part-time study, 바카라사이트 financial returns are lower than those from full-time undergraduate study. This is a justification for larger government subsidies to encourage demand (by allowing universities to reduce 바카라사이트ir fees).

If 바카라사이트re had been a drop of 55 per cent in full-time undergraduate entrants since 바카라사이트 student funding reforms, it would have been headline news. Universities and o바카라사이트r higher education stakeholders would have been outraged and demanded action. Ministers¡¯ heads would have rolled. But when this occurred among part-time entrants, 바카라사이트re was silence. Now is 바카라사이트 time to break 바카라사이트 silence.

Claire Callender is professor of higher education at Birkbeck, University of London and 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education. This is an edited version of her contribution to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute¡¯s blue book on part-time study, It¡¯s 바카라사이트 finance, stupid!, published today.