7th November 2018 9:00
By Blue Tutors
The number of part time university students has halved in the last 8 years since tuition fees were introduced. Reported on the BBC, The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Universities UK believe that university is not just for young people and say that there needs to be major changes to ensure that we increase the number of part time learners. Adults need to be able to re-train for new skills and courses need to be shorter and more flexible.
There is concern about a post-Brexit skills gap, and without adults taking up part time courses, this may create problems for employers. There are calls for universities to show more consideration for part time learners, and not simply focus on school leavers. Many people who want to study part time are deterred because the course are too long and so too large a commitment, and also because it is difficult to find courses which fit around their work schedule.
The biggest deterrent for part-time learners seems to be the introduction of tuition fees in England. Full time employees with families are reluctant to take any extra debt. In 830 interviews with potential students, 59% said that they wanted tuition fees to be lower.
The chairperson for the report said that the current university system is failing to meet the demand for shorter and more flexible university courses. The idea that we stop learning when we reach our twenties needs to change, and the economy has changed which means that further education needs to adapt accordingly. The government is reviewing tuition fees and post-18 education and is expected to reveal their findings in the new year.