Our End of Cycle report evidences another record year for UK higher education with 532,300 students starting their studies in 2015. The increasing numbers are eye-catching, as are the improving rates of progression which take account of changes in the underlying population. But 2015 saw an unusual uptick in the 18 year old population in the UK which has flattered the totals. From 2016 until 2020, we expect the young population to continue to decline by around 1-2 per cent per year which will mak...

MPs have condemned the government’s record on further education (FE), saying it has been too slow to address the emerging financial crisis in the sector. A report by the cross-party public accounts committee said there were serious concerns about the future of FE in England, with many colleges in a dire financial state. It warned of “substantial further deterioration” without prompt intervention. Read More.

Understanding how students benefit from their studies beyond their qualification has never been more important. But student experiences differ, which means we need a carefully tested and contextual approach. Being able to both measure and provide evidence about what students gain from studying for a higher education qualification, apart from the qualification itself, has long been a challenge for higher education sectors across the world. Read More.

We know that young people who have been in the care are system significantly less likely to go to university than their peers. According to the Office for Fair Access (Offa) just 6% of care-leavers in England progressed to higher education in 2012, compared with 43% of the general population (aged 17-30). To highlight this gap, and to urge universities to do more to address it, Offa has published a new briefing, announcing a greater emphasis on care-leavers in the access agreements it makes with...

HEFCE's interactive maps of England show whether the level of young participation in higher education in different areas is higher or lower than expected. Or, in other words, it shows where there is an unexplained 'gap' in the level of participation. They are currently running a survey to inform their analysis of gaps in young participation in higher education. They invite comments from anyone with an interest. The deadline for responses is 4 January 2016. Read More.

The Government’s Autumn Statement confirms the availability of £10,000 loans for students under 60 wanting to take masters degrees from 2016-17. HEFCE welcomes the introduction of the loans and looks forward to working with the Government to review how they affect participation at masters level. Read More.

Without evaluation and a strong base of evidence, outreach activity is operating in the dark. The response from the former head of admissions at a prestigious university said it all: ‘I would rather support more students than waste money on an evaluation.’ The strong rebuttal came after I suggested that the university evaluate its efforts to attract students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Read More.

The gender gulf among undergraduates is growing, with females dominating in medicine, law and biology. Almost a third of universities are now running outreach activities targeted at young men as they try to tackle the growing gender gap in student applications, according to the Office for Fair Access. They are being offered taster subject sessions, talks with role models and mentoring through local football clubs to encourage them to consider a university degree. Read More.

We welcome the proposal that the Director should play ‘a specific and strengthened role’ within the proposed new Office for Students. This is a real opportunity to continue the progress that has been made in the last decade and to help meet the Prime Minister’s ambitions around fair access. Read More.

As the lead regulator for higher education, HEFCE looks forward to joining with the Government, students, providers, employers and others with an interest in higher education as the proposals are discussed and debated.  Read More.