Delyth Chambers

Teachers and Advisors

Conference 23 May 2014

Setting the agenda for the students of the future

• The changing world of HE• What students are telling us they want• What factors students take into account

when choosing• How will admissions work in 2014• How will it change in 2015 and beyond?• Brief overview of national employment

trends• Our Warwick journeys

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The world has changed..• Mass global higher education system• Vast amount of choice• Higher Education at whim of governments:

funding, regulation• Higher participation across all social groups• HE in FE• Private providers • Technology and mobile communication

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The world has changed..

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Bristol 1909

The world has changed..

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…Warwick 1970s

Students in a lecture today …

The world has changed..

The changing higher education landscape

• 1951: 12 universities• 1969: 33 universities including OU• 1969-1991: 33 universities, 33 polytechnics • 1992: University status awarded to

polytechnics• 2005: 167 universities and colleges of higher

education• 2014: > 300 institutions in UCAS scheme

admitting full time undergraduate students

50 years of applications: UCCA and UCAS

Source: UCAS Statistics

Qualifications on entry

• 1960s» A-levels

• 2000s» A-levels» BTEC» International Baccalaureate» Cambridge Pre-U» NVQs » AQA Bacc

HE today • Mix of institutions offering HE level study:

• Universities• University colleges• Colleges of higher education• HE provision in FE colleges

• Bachelor Degrees, Foundation Degrees• Only half of entrants are school leavers• 2.5 million students (more women than men)• > 400,000 from overseas • ‘Mission Groups’ – Russell Group, 1994 Group, Million

+, Non-Aligned, 157 Group

HE today: Current pressures

• Larger class sizes• Financial pressures• Reliance on overseas student income• Research, services to business• Skills of incoming students• Ageing workforce• Widening participation agenda• Growing importance of the student experience

HE today‘The student experience’

• Student as consumer: ‘paying customer’• Employability• Emphasis on study skills• Independent learning• Methods of delivery of teaching• Facilities and lifestyle choices

What do students want? In some areas, the Student Academic Experience Survey has shown only modest changes since it began in 2006, but students in England are paying much more for their education and this is having an impact on their perceptions. They are paying a lot more, receiving a little more and increasing their expectations in terms of value for money. The survey has also shown persistent issues across the UK on contact hours and class sizes, as well as the comparability of degrees.

HEPI Student Academic Experience Survey, May 2014

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HEPI, May 2014

Source: HEPI May 2014

Top 10 reasons for going to university

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Top-10 student subject choices 2014

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Application

s

Group B Subjects allied to Medicine 390707

Group N Business & Admin studies 316898

Group W Creative Arts & Design 265157

Group C Biological Sciences 247008

Group L Social Studies 222506

Group H Engineering 154595

Group M Law 119607

Group F Physical Sciences 107714

Group I Computer Sciences 106898

Group A Medicine & Dentistry 97629

Top 10 attributes influencing university choice

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CURRENT ISSUES IN ADMISSIONS 2014

• Changes in patterns of demand• Student Number Control cap still exists –

limits the number of places for students with less than ABB (or equivalent)

• Students (and parents) as consumers• Changing methods of communications• Reduction in government funding allocations

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UCAS, 2013

National application picture: biggest increases in demand since 2013

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Group J Technologies 14.06%

Group I Computer Sciences 12.19%

Group H Engineering 10.46%

Group P Mass Comms and Documentation 8.29%

Group C Biological Sciences 7.61%

Group L Social Studies 4.78%

Young People (16-24) methods of communication in 2012 (2013,

YouthSight)

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Warwick admissions 2014

~30,000 total applications (+8% on 2013)~ 18,000 Home/EU

~ 8,000 Overseas

Conditional offers:

~12,500 Home/EU

~ 5,500 Overseas

Intake target:

~3,200 Home/EU

~ 850 Overseas

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…beyond 2015• August 2015 – no cap on numbers• Increased competition and marketisation of the sector • Different practices some universities eg making unconditional

offers• Warwick: IGGY • General election 2015 – fees reductions? Institution funding?• Demographics • Qualification changes• Changing patterns of student choice of sixth form subjects• Differences between education in UK administrations • Changes in shape of the sector – mergers, closures, private

providers??• Future demand for postgraduate courses

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Progressing beyond university: Brief overview of

graduate career trendsAnne Wilson, Head of Careers,

Careers and Skills

National picture (from HECSU)

Overview of 2013 destinations data (6 months after graduation)

Of the 242,285 graduates who responded to the survey:

Average salaries of graduates employed full-time in the UK ranged from £18,345 to £22,535, depending on their occupation.

Warwick Picture 2012

EMPLOYMENT MARKET TRENDS

UP DOWN

IT/ Telecomms + 40.3% Investment banking -1.4%

Public Sector +20.1% Law - 4.2%

Energy/ Utilities + 17.5%

Banking/finance + 15.7%

Accountancy/professional services + 12.2%

Engineering +9.2%

Transport/logistics + 7%

Consulting/business services 5.7%

Retail 2.7%

FMCG + 2%

Graduate vacancy projections: up 10.2% compared to 2012-13Source: AGR

Examples of starting salaries by career area in 2011-2012

Source: AGR

Investment banking £38,250

Legal work £37,000

Consulting £28,500

Actuarial £28,500

Manufacturing engineering £26,500

IT £26,000

Accountancy £25,000

How recruiters select:

• Degree classification is used as a screening tool by a high proportion of AGR employers (82.1%) when recruiting graduates.

• The majority (81.3%) use the 2:1 as a cut off for most of their positions, 15.0% use a 2:2 and a small minority (3.8%) state that it varies by role.

• There are a range of other graduate employers including SME’s for whom this is not such a significant factor