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Explore the post-war development of higher education, from the Robbins Report to the Dearing Report and Leitch Report. Analyze the widening participation debate, stakeholder roles, implications of figures, policy issues, and barriers and facilitating factors in HE. Understand the importance of equality, policies, and achieving inclusive outcomes.
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Debates in HE ASS 3
Aims • To describe development of HE post-war • To analyse the “widening participation” debate m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
History • Robbins Report 1963 • 216,000 students 1962/3 • 390,000 students 1973/4 • 560,000 students 1980/1 • 2,480,145 students 2004/5 • Rejected limited pool of ability • HE needed for economic growth • good society requires equal ops m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Dearing Report (NCIHE) • Reported 1997 • Summary of last 20 years • number of students more than doubled • public funding for HE up by 45% • unit of funding per student down by 40% • public funding for HE, as% of GDP, same m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Leitch Report 2006 • http://www.dfes.gov.uk/furthereducation/index.cfm?fuseaction=content.view&CategoryID=21&ContentID=37 • role of FE • Emphasis on skills m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Stakeholders • Government • DfES • Treasury • Employers • Parents • Students • Academics m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Implications of figures • Low rate of participation • age • gender • class • ethnicity m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
There has been growth • 1950 5% of relevant age group in HE • 1996 70% of school leavers go to FE/HE • 1999 30% of age group in HE in England • 45% of age group in Scotland • Government aim is 50% m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Problems • 1997 31% of 18-21s entered HE (UK) • SEGs 1, 2 & 3 49% into HE • SEGs 4 & 5 18.4% into HE • SEG 1 80% into HE • SEG 5 14% into HE • 1990 SEG 5 6% but SEGs 1-3 36.7% m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Policy Issues • Definition of “widening participation” • Participation in what • for how long • in what way • in what institution • Widened • not just increase numbers • diversity - non traditional students m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Equality • WP not just about enrolling need to look at achievement, outcomes & involvement in HE including teaching and research • Not equal opps re access but re OUTCOME m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Policies • Access courses • non-traditional pathway to traditional HE • Just increase numbers • misses excluded groups • Limit expansion to excluded groups • problem of equity • Aim Higher http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/home/index.cfm m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Barriers to participation & retention • Risks • Resistance • Cultural factors • Structural inequalities • Money & time • HE culture m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Facilitating factors • Knowing someone • Student composition • Alternative entry routes m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk
Conclusion • Archer (2001) -Govt assumptions wrong • underestimate complexity of issue • FORMAL equality insufficient • Need effective targeting m.mcmanus@shu.ac.uk