1

Annexe D

Universities UK review of part-time and mature higher education: Technical annexe

This annexe provides further details regarding the definition and scope of part-time provision that is covered in the report, and data availability and the timing of the report. A background analysis of part-time undergraduate student characteristics and trends in provision across the UK is also provided as supporting evidence to the report.

Definitions

There are many potential typologies of both ‘part-time’ and ‘mature student’. This report uses the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) definition of part-time, which is defined as any student not studying on a full-time course, or studying on a course lasting less than 24 weeks, on block release, or studying during evenings only1. Full-time full-year students normally return a student load (FTE) of 100, with part-time students returned as a proportion of an equivalent full-time course. It includes both on-campus and distance learning which is not delivered full-time. There are limitations to this definition. Some argue that we should not perpetuate the full-time/part-time dichotomy but rather talk about flexible learning. There are many merits to this argument; however, this risks failing to recognise the distinctiveness of the part-time student body and the need to pay special attention to it. This does not, however, take away from the fact that we would not want administrative definitions based on a full-time/part-time dichotomy to make it harder to meet the needs of students, for example, for there to be barriers for a student to move from one mode to another, or for there to be artificial and unintended incentives for one mode over another. With reference to the mature learner, this report uses the HESA definition (‘aged 21 or over’2), but again, this contains a multiplicity of groups. Mature and part-time learners are not the same thing. While most part-time undergraduate students are mature, most mature undergraduate students are full-time. This report focuses in particular on UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate students, 92% of whom are mature (a cohort of 451,750 students in 2011–12). Additional detail on the particular sub-group of part-time young students is given in the Institute for Employment Studies report for BIS Expanding and Improving Part-time Higher Education (2012); detail on mature students studying full-time is given in the NUS/-Million+ report Never Too Late to Learn (2012). Having said that, many of the recommendations in this report

1 Definitions for students & qualifiers statistics (HESA) http://www.hesa.ac.uk/content/view/1902/ 2 Performance indicators definitions (HESA) http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2379 

2

will be equally applicable to part-time students of any age and level of study, and much of the good practice in particular will be applicable to mature full-time students. Unless otherwise stated all figures related to part-time undergraduate provision at UK higher education institutions in the main report, and this annexe, include the Open University. Due to the very large scale and distinctiveness of this provision, the Open University is sometimes presented separately in analysis in order to understand underlying sector-wide patterns or trends.

Scope

This report focuses on undergraduate provision, including undergraduate degrees, higher education diplomas, higher education certificates and foundation degrees. The review also considers short courses, whether accredited or non-accredited. Clearly there is also a story about postgraduate provision, as examined in other UUK work monitoring the impact of reforms to higher education in 2012–133. The review is UK-wide, taking a particular focus on England as that is the country which has seen the greatest fall in part-time undergraduate recruitment over the last decade, but seeking also to set this in context and to learn from the experiences in other nations. While many of the recommendations around fees and funding are England-focused, the discussions around attracting, engaging and supporting part-time students are equally valid in different parts of the UK. While the review is interested in both face-to-face provision and distance learning, as well as blended modes, overseas students, studying from a distance on a part-time course, are not considered. The research team carried out international comparisons, looking in particular at experiences in Ireland, Canada and Australia. We found that the definitions and levels of part-time higher education were so varied that it was hard to draw firm conclusions.

The timing of this report and data availability

Two particularly significant policy changes happened in England during the period under review. In 2007, the English government announced the phasing out of support for students on courses leading to a qualification equivalent to, or lower than, one they already held (ELQs). There were only a small number of exceptions (including PGCEs; medical, nursing and veterinary qualifications; and those in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowance). In September 2013 the government indicated that fee loans would be extended to part-time undergraduate students of engineering, technology and computer science who already have a degree in a different discipline.

3 Universities UK (2013) The funding environment for universities: an assessment 

3

In 2012–13, changes to funding saw the phasing out of parts of Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) teaching grants to publicly funded higher education providers. Institutions were expected to make up for the loss of the HEFCE funding through increased fees, capped for new-system part-time home and EU students at £6,750 per academic year. Part-time students were eligible to apply for a fee loan, if studying above 25% full-time intensity, but applicants holding an equivalent or higher qualification were ineligible for this loan. There is a period of transition as students are funded under both the new and the old fee regime. Most of the data used in this report goes up to the latest year of HESA data (2011–12). This includes breakdowns of part-time undergraduate students at UK higher education institutions and trends in part-time undergraduate recruitment to 2011–12. Where available, data from early statistics collections for 2012–13 (for example, from the Higher Education Early Statistics Survey in England) are given. Unfortunately a full picture of recruitment in the most affected year in policy terms (2012–13) will not be available until early 2014 when figures from the HESA student record for 2012–13 are published, including data on subjects and student characteristics. UUK will analyse this HESA data when available in 2014 and issue a supplementary note to this report. Equally, as part-time students do not apply through UCAS, we are not able to cite applications statistics for 2013–14. However, evidence from our survey of institutions is used, along with discussions with institutions, in order to plug these gaps where possible. This is clearly a rapidly evolving area, with institutions making decisions now about part-time recruitment for 2014–15 and beyond.

4

Part-time undergraduate student characteristics4

In 2011–12 there were nearly half a million people in the UK studying part-time (including distance learning) at undergraduate level, making up 29% of the undergraduate population (UK-domiciled individuals only). In many areas part-time undergraduates are a distinct and diverse group, particularly when compared to the more familiar young full-time undergraduate population:

• UK domiciled individuals accounted for 95% of all part-time undergraduate enrolments in 2011–12. This compares to full-time undergraduate provision where UK domiciled students made up 86% of all enrolments.

• The vast majority of UK-domiciled part-time undergraduates are mature (21 or over), accounting for 92% of all enrolments in 2011–12. This compared to UK-domiciled full-time undergraduates in the same year, where mature students accounted for 38% of all enrolments.

• While the majority of full-time students enter with Level 3 qualifications (84% in 2011–12), the part-time cohort is much more varied. In 2011–12, the highest qualification on entry of part-time students varied from qualifications below Level 2 (12% of entrants) and Level 3 qualifications (23%) to other undergraduate (24%), first degree (17%) and postgraduate (8%).

• Women account for 62% of the part-time undergraduate population, compared with 56% for full-time undergraduates.

• Business, education, social studies and subjects allied to medicine account for just under half of all part-time undergraduate enrolments in 2011–12.

• Black and minority ethnic students account for a lower proportion of part-time undergraduates (14%) when compared to full-time undergraduates (21%).

• Part-time undergraduate students are more likely to be from areas of low participation. Entrants from these areas accounted for 14% of part-time undergraduate recruitment in 2011–12 compared to 11% for full-time undergraduates.

4 HESA student record 2011–12 

5

Distribution of part-time undergraduate provision

Figure D1: UK domiciled part-time undergraduate enrolments at UK higher education institutions, 2011–12 (excluding the Open University)

Source: HESA student record 2011–12

In 2011–12 144 publicly funded higher education institutions (excluding the Open University) reported UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate enrolments. As demonstrated in Figure D1, the level of provision and proportion of overall undergraduate enrolments that it accounted for varied significantly across institutions. This ranged from a small number of large institutions focused primarily on undergraduate part-time provision to a long tail of smaller institutions where the majority of undergraduate provision was full-time. The largest provider by far is the Open University, which provides exclusively part-time distance learning and accounted for 39% (188,790 enrolments) of all part-time undergraduate enrolments in the UK in 2011–12.

0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000UK domiciled part-time undergraduate enrolments

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Per

cent

age

of U

K do

mic

iled

unde

rgra

duat

e st

uden

ts s

tudy

ing

part-

time

6

Table D1: Part-time undergraduate enrolments at UK higher education institutions in 2011–125

Institution Part-time enrolments

Part-time enrolments as a percentage of all undergraduate enrolments

The Open University 188,790 100%

Teesside University 14,735 63%Birkbeck, University of London 12,310 98%Coventry University 9,745 44%The University of Central Lancashire 7,285 29%Staffordshire University 7,220 41%London South Bank University 6,545 38%The University of Hull 6,290 36%Anglia Ruskin University 5,355 33%Edge Hill University 5,150 36%The University of Northumbria at Newcastle 5,105 23%The University of Sunderland 4,925 40%The University of Greenwich 4,870 26%The University of Plymouth 4,865 19%University of Derby 4,815 33%The University of Oxford 4,805 33%The University of Wolverhampton 4,635 29%Sheffield Hallam University 4,595 18%Canterbury Christ Church University 4,585 33%University of Glamorgan6 4,585 29%Leeds Metropolitan University 4,450 20%The University of Huddersfield 3,995 24%The University of Warwick 3,985 30%The Queen's University of Belfast 3,960 23%Birmingham City University 3,915 22%Cardiff University 3,885 21%The University of Wales, Newport7 3,870 51%University of Chester 3,845 33%Bournemouth University 3,745 24%Harper Adams University College 3,715 65%The University of Glasgow 3,680 21%University of the West of England, Bristol 3,635 16%The University of the West of Scotland 3,465 27%University of Hertfordshire 3,410 18%

5 HESA student record 2011–12 6 In April 2013 the University of Glamorgan merged with the University of Wales, Newport to form the University of South Wales. 7 In April 2013 the University of Wales, Newport merged with the University of Glamorgan to form the University of South Wales. 

7

Institution Part-time enrolments

Part-time enrolments as a percentage of all undergraduate enrolments

The University of East London 3,320 22%University of Ulster 3,255 18%University of Bedfordshire 3,180 24%Buckinghamshire New University 3,015 36%The University of West London 2,925 32%King's College London 2,900 23%The University of Brighton 2,900 18%University of the Highlands and Islands 2,890 44%London Metropolitan University 2,855 20%The University of Northampton 2,795 25%Middlesex University 2,625 18%The University of Bolton 2,605 40%The University of Westminster 2,600 20%University of Cumbria 2,580 29%The Manchester Metropolitan University 2,575 10%De Montfort University 2,550 15%The University of Strathclyde 2,510 19%Liverpool John Moores University 2,425 13%Glasgow Caledonian University 2,370 19%The University of Portsmouth 2,295 13%Oxford Brookes University 2,195 18%Glyndŵr University 2,110 43%Nottingham Trent University 2,075 10%The University of Liverpool 2,015 14%The University of Salford 2,000 13%University of Wales Trinity Saint David 2,000 42%St George's Hospital Medical School 1,985 47%The University of Lincoln 1,880 17%Swansea University 1,820 16%The University of Essex 1,800 20%Kingston University 1,780 10%The University of Bradford 1,765 18%Aberystwyth University 1,655 19%The University of Worcester 1,650 20%University Campus Suffolk 1,650 30%The University of Nottingham 1,605 8%Edinburgh Napier University 1,595 17%The University of Kent 1,545 11%The University of East Anglia 1,500 14%The Robert Gordon University 1,475 19%The City University 1,450 20%

8

Institution Part-time enrolments

Part-time enrolments as a percentage of all undergraduate enrolments

The University of Dundee 1,385 14%Southampton Solent University 1,375 13%The University of Aberdeen 1,270 14%The University of Leicester 1,255 14%The University of Birmingham 1,235 7%The University of Leeds 1,205 5%The University of Sheffield 1,180 8%York St John University 1,150 23%University College Birmingham 1,135 33%The University of Stirling 1,105 15%Bangor University 1,040 14%The University of Surrey 1,005 12%The University of Manchester 965 4%The University of York 960 9%Swansea Metropolitan University8 910 22%Liverpool Hope University 835 15%Newman University College 825 32%The University of Southampton 800 6%Cardiff Metropolitan University 715 10%The University of Edinburgh 705 5%University of Gloucestershire 705 10%The University of Chichester 700 15%The University of Winchester 600 12%Roehampton University 590 9%The University of St Andrews 590 13%Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh 565 20%The University of Keele 555 8%The University of Bath 540 6%University of the Arts, London 535 6%Aston University 475 8%The University of Bristol 470 4%Royal Holloway and Bedford New College 465 8%St Mary's University College, Twickenham 445 12%Goldsmiths College 440 10%Brunel University 365 4%The University of Lancaster 365 5%Institute of Education 350 73%Bath Spa University 335 6%Loughborough University 335 3%

8 From 1 August 2013, Swansea Metropolitan University merged with the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David. 

9

Institution Part-time enrolments

Part-time enrolments as a percentage of all undergraduate enrolments

Stranmillis University College 285 24%Rose Bruford College 205 28%University of Abertay Dundee 205 5%University College London 200 2%The University of Cambridge 195 2%University of Durham 190 2%Heriot-Watt University 125 3%The University of Exeter 115 1%University for the Creative Arts 115 2%The University of Reading 105 1%Scottish Agricultural College 95 10%Leeds Trinity University College 85 3%The Royal Veterinary College 75 5%Writtle College 75 8%University College Plymouth St Mark and St John 70 3%The Arts University College at Bournemouth 60 2%Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln 50 3%London School of Economics and Political Science 50 2%The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne 50 0%University College Falmouth 50 2%The School of Pharmacy 45 7%The University of Buckingham 35 6%The University of Sussex 35 0%Leeds College of Art 30 3%Royal Agricultural College 25 3%The School of Oriental and African Studies 25 1%Glasgow School of Art 20 2%Heythrop College 20 4%St Mary's University College 10 1%Queen Mary and Westfield College 5 0%Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance 5 1% Of the 490,590 UK-domiciled part-time undergraduates registered at higher education institutions in 2011–12, 38,700 (8%) were fully taught at partner further education colleges. An additional 118,240 part-time undergraduates were also registered directly with a further education college in 2011–129. In total, just under a quarter of part-time undergraduate provision was taught at further education colleges. This varies significantly across the UK, from 40% in Scotland to 19% in Wales, 23% in England and 45% in Northern Ireland. 9 HESA (2013) Higher Education Statistics for the UK 2011/12; Table 1 

10

Although directly comparable data is not available, indicative figures from surveys suggest that there were also 8,500 UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate students at private providers in 2012.10

Part-time undergraduate recruitment trends

Figure D2: UK domiciled full-time and part-time undergraduate entrants to UK higher education institutions, 2002–03 to 2011–12 (excluding the Open University)

Source: HESA student record UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants (excluding the Open University) fell from 243,660 in 2002-03 to 178,035 in 2011–12, a decrease of 65,625 or 27% over nine years. If the Open University is included part-time undergraduate entrants decreased from 291,130 in 2002–03 to 260,515 in 2011–12, a fall of 30,615 or 11%. Over the same period UK-domiciled full-time undergraduate entrants increased by 63,600, or 17%. As Figure D2 shows, prior to 2006–07 the rate of change for part-time undergraduate recruitment remained relatively flat. Following 2006–07, recruitment levels between full-time and part-time begin to diverge with the rate of decline in part-time undergraduate recruitment increasing from 2008–09 onwards.

10 BIS (2013) Privately funded providers of higher education in the UK 

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Year

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

UK

dom

icile

d pa

rt tim

e un

derg

radu

ate

entra

nts

Part-time

Full-time

11

Figure D3: Year-on-year change in UK domiciled undergraduate entrants (excluding the Open University) by mode of study, 2002–03 to 2011–12

Source: HESA student record UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants (excluding the Open University) decreased in six of the nine years between 2002–03 and 2011–12, compared to only two years of decrease for full-time undergraduate provision over the same period (Figure D3). Between 2008–09 and 2011–12 full-time undergraduate entrants increased by 3% compared to a 23% fall in part-time undergraduate entrants over the same period. This period coincides with the recession of 2008 to 2009 and subsequent period of economic recovery.

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Full-time

Part-time

-10%

-5%

0%

5%Ye

ar o

n ye

ar c

hang

e in

ent

rant

s

-10%

-5%

0%

5%

Year

on

year

cha

nge

in e

ntra

nts

12

Figure D4: UK domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants by country of higher education institution (excluding the Open University), 2002–03 to 2011–12

Source: HESA student record

Excluding the Open University, which is UK wide, institutions in England account for the majority of UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants (142,665 or 80% in 2011–12), followed by Wales (15,745 or 9% in 2011–12), Scotland (14,660 or 8% in 2011–12), and Northern Ireland (4,965 or 3% in 2011–12). Between 2002–03 and 2011–12 the proportion of part-time undergraduate entrants starting at English higher education institutions decreased (from 83% to 80%), while increasing for all other countries of the UK over the same period.

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

220,000

240,000

UK

dom

icile

d pa

rt tim

e un

derg

radu

ate

entra

nts

Country of institutionEnglandNorthern IrelandScotlandWales

13

Figure D5: UK domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants by region of higher education institution (excluding the Open University), 2011–12

Source: HESA student record 2011–12

Excluding the Open University (which had 82,480 entrants in 2011–12), institutions in the West Midlands region had the highest number of UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants (25,640 in 2011–12), followed by London (24,085) and the North West (18,425). Figure D6: Change in part-time undergraduate entrants compared to 2002–03, by country of institution (excluding the Open University)

Source: HESA student record

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

-30%

-20%

-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

% c

hang

e fro

m 2

002

Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

England

14

The pattern of change in part-time undergraduate entrants between 2002–03 and 2011–12 (excluding the Open University) is shown in in Figure D6. Over the period, recruitment decreased across all countries of the UK with the highest falls seen in England (-29%), followed by Wales (-22%), Scotland (-13%) and Northern Ireland (-10%). Over the same period the Open University saw a 74% increase in part-time undergraduate recruitment. Significant variation in trends over the period can be seen, with Scotland showing a large increase in recruitment levels between 2002–03 and 2006–07, followed by a sharp drop thereafter. In England part-time undergraduate recruitment has gradually decreased over the period, while Wales saw a marginal increase in 2004-05 followed by decreases thereafter. All countries, other than Northern Ireland, saw significant decreases in recruitment between 2008–09 and 2011–12 (Scotland -34%, England -23% and Wales -16%). Figure D7: Change in UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants between 2008–09 and 2011–12 by region of higher education institution (excluding the Open University)

Source: HESA student record Figure D7 shows that between 2008–09 and 2011–12, there was a decrease in part-time entrants in almost every region of the UK, the highest being in South West England. However, this was not the case for the West Midlands and Northern Ireland, where numbers increased over the period in question, by 6% and 2% respectively.

WestMidlands

NorthernIreland

EastMidlands

North East Wales Yorkshireand theHumber

South East North West London Scotland East ofEngland

South West

-12%

-16%

-23%

-29% -30%

-33% -34%-36%

-45%

-5%

6%

2%

15

Figure D8: Changes in part-time undergraduate entrants by region of insitution, 2011–12 to 2012–13 (England only)

Note: includes HEIs and FECs; excludes the Open University Source: HEFCE

Indicative figures from the Higher Education Early Statistics Survey for English institutions in 2012–1311 suggest that these decreases continue for entry to 2012–13 (Figure D8). Unlike the pattern between 2008–09 and 2011–12, decreases in the last year seem to be greater in the North of England thank in the South. Although directly comparable figures for Scotland and Wales are not yet available, indicative data from early statistics collections in those countries suggest that part-time undergraduate recruitment is likely to have decreased at a lower rate when compared to England (see Table 1 of main report).

11 Early statistics are collected by respective funding councils to inform allocation of funds and monitoring. As they are collected during the academic year they include an element of forecasting and populations reflect the funding priorities of each administration. 

16

Figure D9: UK domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants by student age, 2002–03 to 2011–12 (excluding the Open University)

Source: HESA student record

Figure D10: Change in UK domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants by student age since 2002–03 (excluding the Open University)

Source: HESA student record

Par

t-tim

e un

derg

radu

ate

entra

nts

% D

iffer

ence

in T

OTA

L (h

eadc

ount

)

17

As shown in figures D9 and D10, it is mature part-time undergraduate entrants (aged 21 or above) who have made up the bulk of the fall in recruitment since 2008-09. In 2011–12, excluding the Open University, there were 26% fewer UK-domiciled mature part-time undergraduate entrants than in 2002–03 (11% fewer if the Open University is included). Over the same period the number of entrants to the Open University increased across all age groups. Figure D11: UK-domciled part-time undergraduate entrants by gender, 2002–03 to 2011–12 (excluding the Open University)

Source: HESA student record The majority of part-time students are female, and this has been the case in each of the past ten years (Figure D11). In 2011–12, 65% of UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants were female (Excluding the Open University). However, it is predominantly the decline in female students that has contributed to the recent drop overall in part-time student numbers.

Tota

l hea

dcou

nt (r

ound

ed to

the

near

est 5

)

18

Figure D12: Change in UK-domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants since 2002–03 by gender (excluding the Open University)

Source: HESA student record Since 2002–03, the number of male entrants across all providers fell by 4%, whereas the number of female entrants fell by 14%. As Figure D12 shows, the decrease is greater at institutions other than the Open University, where male entrants fell by 22% and female by 29% between 2002–03 and 2011–12. Over the same period the number of male and female entrants to the Open University both increased (by 12,845 and 22,160 respectively).

Cha

nge

in p

art t

ime

unde

rgra

duat

e en

trant

s si

nce

2002

-03

19

Figure D13: Change in part-time undergraduate entrants reporting known disability compared to 2002–03 (excluding the Open University)

Source: HESA student record We did not find evidence of a disproportionate effect on disabled students, with the number of part-time undergraduate entrants reporting a known disability increasing by 22% (2,130 entrants) between 2002–03 and 2011–12 (figure D13). It should be noted however, that the data is problematic here. As the information collected is based on self-assessment by the student, and the level of not known/not sought varies across the period, it is difficult to determine how much of the trend is due to improved reporting of disabilities and better collection of data. There does, however, appear to be a marginal decrease in recruitment of part-time undergraduate entrants with known disabilities to institutions other than the Open University from 2008–09 onwards, something which is not evident for full-time undergraduate entrants or entrants to the Open University over the same period.

Par

t-tim

e un

derg

radu

ate

entra

nts

20

Figure D14: UK domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants by level of study (excluding the Open University), 2002–03 to 2011–12

Source: HESA student record Within undergraduate study, the distribution of part-time entrants varies by qualification type. Of the cohort that entered in 2011–12 (excluding the Open University), 29,420 (17%) were on first degree courses, 12,630 (7%) were on foundation degrees and the vast majority, 135,985 (76%), were on other undergraduate courses. The Open University has a very different profile, with the majority of entrants in 2011–12 (55%) starting a first degree course. Within undergraduate study, different levels have been affected in different ways since 2002–03. Although still relatively small in number, there was a significant increase in the number of entrants studying for part-time foundation degrees between 2002–03 and 2011–12, which increased by 9,050 (253%). Between 2008–09 and 2011–12 the number of entrants to other undergraduate courses at the Open University decreased (-36%), while entrants to first degrees (25%) and foundation degrees (14%) increased over the same period.

Part

time

unde

rgra

duat

e en

trant

s