asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the implications for government policy towards universities of the projected drop in the number of 18 year-olds in the United Kingdom from 2010.[HL7395]
We expect demand for higher education to continue as attainment at age 19 rises and as universities increasingly engage with employers to offer degree-level training for adults already in the workforce. The Government are also committed to widening participation in higher education, so that more young people and adults from families and communities who have not, traditionally, undertaken higher education have the opportunity to do so and to enjoy the benefits that result. The Government want to see increases in the numbers of people with higher level skills because this is essential to economic competitiveness and supports social justice.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
For each of the years since 1997, how many students (a) were in full-time university education; and (b) dropped out from full-time university education, expressed both as totals and percentages of drop-outs.[HL7396]
The latest information on student numbers is given in the table.
Academic year Numbers 1996-97 716,640 1997-98 727,080 1998-99 736,200 1999-2000 732,525 2000-01 738,880 2001-02 760,790 2002-03 788,690 2003-04 809,535 2004-05 823,740 Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Numbers have been rounded to the nearest five. Numbers are based on a snapshot count of students as at 1 December in each year.
Since 1996-97, information on projected non-completion rates for higher education students has been published annually, initially by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and latterly by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), in Performance Indicators in Higher Education. The latest available figures giving overall non-completion rates for students starting full-time first degree courses in England are shown in the table. Figures published in 2005 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that in 2003 the UK had one of the lowest higher education non-completion rates among OECD countries.
Starters expected neither to obtain an award nor transfer: Students starting courses in: Number of starters Numbers Percentage 1996-97 218,225 34,260 15.7 1997-98 227,115 36,565 16.1 1998-99 231,740 36,615 15.8 1999-2000 230,930 36,720 15.9 2000-01 233,170 34,975 15.0 2001-02 242,515 33,465 13.8 2002-03 254,535 35,380 13.9 2003-04 258,530 37,230 14.4 Source: Performance Indicators in Higher Education, published by HESA in July 2006. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest five. For 2003-04, the projected outcomes summarise the pattern of movements of students at institutions between 2003-04 and 2004-05 and give the outcomes that would have been expected from starters in 2003-04 if progression patterns were to remain unchanged over the next few years. The HESA data show the proportion of entrants who are projected to: obtain a qualification (either a first degree or another undergraduate award); transfer to another HEI; neither obtain a qualification nor transfer (i.e. fail to complete the course). Figures for 2004-05 will be published in July 2007.