Teachers and Advisors Conference
Friday 6th May 2016, Edge Hill University
Dr John Cater, Whither Higher Education – An insight into Current issues
Welcome and Introduction
This is a time of change and uncertainty in the education sector. As a university we know that recruiting students who don’t want to be here, or for whom the university isn’t right, is pointless for everyone. Retention is crucial and so it is most important we get the right students for our courses and the campus environment. The Education Liaison team seek to add value to and support students’ decision making process.
Edge Hill University has been around for 130 years but was smaller (178 students short) than the minimum threshold to achieve university status in 1992. We are in the positive position that we do not necessarily want to grow in size but rather are on a journey of change. Week for week our applications have increased from 4511 in 2002 to 23, 173 in 2016.
1994 to 2008 was a dream time to run a university as a base level of funding was introduced by the Conservative party to address issues in the HE sector. In 2008 the country found itself in an unsustainable global financial situation and HE became a toxic subject with the subsequent introduction of higher fees.
In 2012 the introduction of £9k fees saw a big change in university behaviour. Initially the government intended differentiated fees for different programmes e.g. a Humanities degree may cost £6k to deliver while a Film and Television Production course can cost £14k due to facilities. It was decided this was too complex and so a base fee of £6k was set, with £9k the maximum. Due to competition amongst providers, and students’ seeing those with lower fees as a lesser product, within three years there was no £6k provision left.
Market Demand
After the increase in fees there was a drop in English students entering English universities - Edge Hill University was one of only four that saw an increase in 2012. The removal of the student number cap that followed saw universities acting as businesses more than ever before. The government’s view is that this competitiveness is good, and that popular universities should grow even if others decline and cease to exist; ‘A properly-run market has to have scope for market entry and market exit’ (Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science).
Student Behaviour
University study is more aligned to A-Level students but actually BTEC students skills are more aligned to labour market skills. Should the question not be flipped – why can’t A-Level students be more vocational?
Adjustment is not very common as it is a very serious and lengthy process. It seems students have made more of a connection and commitment to their institutions by this point than the state presumed; of Edge Hill University’s 4000 intake, only about 20 will adjust each year.
In terms of applications, there has been an increase in applications for traditional academic subjects that may reflect the changing curriculum. Applications for Healthcare courses remain pretty static. What is interesting is how choices are changing and what students are not applying for. Big changes to teaching – in 2011/12 there was approximately 350 School Direct Applications while 16/17 saw around 10,000. Nationwide applications to teach have almost halved in the past 5 years.
The Higher Education Green Paper
1. Tiers of Teaching Excellence allow for effectively 3 sub-prime tiers where some universities that have excellent teaching and learning support, but don’t do as much research (for example), would be judged as sub-prime. This status driven categorisation may be very dangerous.
2. More private / flexible provision being introduced. Previously an institution would have needed to fit a certain set of criteria including a 5 year track record and more that 4000 FTEs. New changes mean there will be no size criteria or track record; applicants for university status can be ‘non-physical entities’ and even ‘an individual’. Does this undermine what a university is?
3. Simplifying architecture by introducing Office for Students; this could incorporate OFFA, HEA amongst others but will be centralised into a government body
4. Single research council controlled by the government, may focus on government priorities e.g. STEM.
Health Education
Tends to attract first generation HE students.
Imminent introduction of Student Finance loans and no longer NHS bursaries.
Will be good to help alleviate workforce shortfalls and also more local autonomy. Removal of student number caps will hit some ‘less glamorous’ courses more than others and we may see long-term implications in some areas.
The DfE White Paper
Free market but mandatory policies; commitment to local authorities but also removing rights of parents to be governors.
Abolition of QTS and introduction of accreditation after 2 to 3 years in a classroom. Very interesting, particularly for places like Edge Hill University although ITT is now only 19% of our provision when it used to be 33%.
Current system with such limited PGCE places means there was only a 20 day window to become a PE Teacher this year, 26 days to become a History teacher and Primary was closed by Christmas. Quickest applications are not always the best and we should aim for a model that allows choice and whatever is right for the individual. There is no specific timeframe for this change yet.
Facing the Future
Declining cohorts, changing qualifications and competing priorities makes it a difficult time.