Challenging minds in challenging times. A broad overview of the key issues surrounding Higher EducationChris Fuller, Learn with US Coordinator and Lecturer April 2010

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Challenging minds in challenging times• Applications• Budget cuts• Admissions• Twenty-first century undergraduates

Applications.

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University applications

Guardian, January 14, 2010

Sunday Times, January 17, 2010

Daily Telegraph, January 8, 2010

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University applications

1980 – 20%

2007 – 44%

2010 target50%

% of eligible 18 – 30 year

olds in HE

Year

2008 – 09 HEFCE capped places at approximately c. 500,000 full-time

undergraduate places.

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

09 – 10 c.200,000 rejected*

* Estimated figures

08 – 09 c.150,000 rejected

10,000 full-time UG

5,000 part-time UG5,000 foundation

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The admissions balancing act

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Domestic vs. international intake‘HESA figures have reignited concerns that universities rely too heavily on international students. One in five degrees–undergraduate and postgraduate–went to students who came from outside the UK.’

Jessica Shepperd, Guardian, January 14, 2010‘Universities realise that the public purse is constrained […]. International students are perhaps the most obvious source of income.’

Les Ebden, Vice-Chancellor, University of Bedfordshire

‘Some universities are very reliant on international students, and should learn from institutions that have had their fingers burned by relying on this source of income.’

John Craven, Vice-Chancellor, University of Portsmouth

Admissions.

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The Russell GroupAn association of the 20 most RESEARCH

INTENSIVE universities.

Advantages• Taught by staff at the

cutting edge of their subjects

• International reputation• Greater income and facilities due to research

funding

Disadvantages• Teaching staff heavily involved in research all

year round• International competition

• Greater demand for places and highest entry

grades

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Competition for places (2009 – 10)Medicine – 206 places (17 applicants per place)Law – 155 places (10)Psychology – 150 places (10)Physiotherapy – 35 places (17)Mathematics – 150 places (8)Geophysics – 15 places (5)Criminology – 30 places (8)Computer Science – 80 places (10)

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Independent vs. State School intake

Students in the UK

7% independently

schooled

20% of the University of Southampton’s 20,000 student intake comes from an independent

school background

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Grades are important, but are a

part of a holistic process.• GCSEs

• AS grades• Number of re-sits• Subjects chosen

• A-levels• Additional experience

• Academic reference

• Personal statement

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Widening Participation ProgrammesAccess to Southampton (A2S) This offers 19 degree programmes (including Chemistry, English, History, Nursing, Politics, Psychology and Sociology)

and 12 Foundation Years (including Aeronautics and Astronautics, Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Physics)

Pathways to LawBM6 Medicine degree

If you feel your son or daughter is eligible for

any of these, encourage them to make use of them!

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• Be in receipt of an Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) of £20 or £30 a week

• Be in the first generation of immediate family to apply to Higher Education

• Have attended a secondary school which achieved less than 48% 5 A to C passes (including English and Maths) at GCSE in 2008

• Only option is to attend a local University

• Studies disrupted by circumstances in their personal, social or domestic life

• Living or grew up in public care

Twenty-first century

undergraduates.

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Employability

The

Top 10

in demand global graduate jobs of 2010

did not exist

in 2007.US Department of Labor

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Employability91%

of our 2008 graduates were employed or undertaking further study six months after graduation.Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey 2008

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Personal statements

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Personal statements

academic…

80%…but this can be flexible and

broad

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Twenty-first century graduatesThe ideal graduate is "intellectually flexible", a

critical thinker and a team player; someone who could see their discipline in a wider context;

someone who is, above all, employable.

Source: University of Aberdeen, Curriculum Reform Consultation

intellectually flexible

critical thinkerteam player

see their discipline in a wider context

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Transferable Skills

Proactivity

Commitment

Independent thinking

Initiative

IT skills

Decision making

Problem solving

Time management

Enthusiasm

Response to a challenge

Analytical

Research Skills

Team work

Leadership

CommunicationPresenting Business

acumen NetworkingSelf-

awareness

Foreign language

Numeracy

Problem solving

Flexibility

Summary.

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Summary• Increased volume of applicants (quality vs.

quantity)• Picking the right institution (Russell Group vs.

others)• Applicants need to show intellectual flexibility and

breadth as well as quality• Fees and funding

- Post-election cuts (universities and loans?)- 2011 tuition fee cap review

• University remains the single best investment in ones future