Benefits of part-time higher education study: A three-year follow-up study Presentation to UALL April 2007 Anne Jamieson Birkbeck, University of London

Birkbeck (OU) study Aim: to understand more about the economic and social benefits of part-time study. Three-year study of a cohort of graduates: 1. Postal questionnaire survey (year 1) 2. Interviews with sub-sample (year 2) 3. Follow-up survey (year 3)

Birkbeck study population Questionnaires to all those who had completed their programme in 2003: 600 undergraduates 1,000 post-graduates 1,100 Certificate/Diploma graduates (Continuing Education) Response rate 58%, yielding a total of 1,539 responses: 356 Undergraduates 589 Post-graduates 594 Certificate and Diploma graduates

Follow-up study. Methodological aspects 2003/04 Baseline survey (postal questionnaires): 1539 respondents Autumn 2006: Re-survey: postal questionnaires and on-line option Response rate 32% of potential respondents (N=431) On-line responses: 37: all under 60; two thirds aged 30-49; more men

Response bias No gender bias; some age bias (more older respondents); slight shift in ethnicity composition

Areas covered in follow-up study 1.The study experience (not covered) 2.Further study activities Impact of Birkbeck study on work and career 4.Impact on a) close social relations; b) wider social involvement and c) personal wellbeing

2. Study since Birkbeck How many studied? What? Where? Qualification aims? Completed? Importance of Birkbeck qualification? Impact of further study

Study/training since graduating in 2003

Where studied for main study 33% 23% 17% 16% 11% Birkbeck Other university Other educational institute Other body University of London Where studied Base: All respondents who had undertaken further study or training since graduating (378)

Mode of study 6% 19% 6% 70% Full time Part time Distance Don't know/Not stated Base: All respondents who had undertaken further study or training since graduating from Birkbeck (378)

Whether Bbk qualification helped gain access to further study 44% 1% 16% 39% Base: All respondents who had undertaken further study or study since graduating (378) Don’t know/Not stated No–and this is disappointing Yes–it was important No–but did not expect it to

Birkbeck’s role in access to further study 67% of those who went on to college or university study said that Birkbeck helped them gain access.

Subject areas studied 22% 33% 6% 40% Same subject area New subject area Mix of same and new Not stated Base: All respondents who had undertaken further study or training since graduating (378)i

Whether studied in same subject area More aged 60+ More in arts related subjects More of those going on to study for a qualification (particularly Masters) at college/university

Most likely to have done further study for a qualification: Earning less than £30,000 Part-time work Undergraduates Arts related subjects

Qualification aim 29% 14% 11% 10% 7% 2% 1% 13% Non-assessed course Masters Undergraduate certificate/diploma Postgraduate certificate/diploma First degree PHD Teaching certificate/diploma CIPD Other Don’t know/Not stated Qualification aim Base: All respondents who had undertaken further study or training since graduting (378)

Stage reached 51% 33% 5% 4% 1% 6% Successfully completed Still studying Stopped temporarily - hope to finish Decided to drop the course Failed assessment part of the course Don't know/Not stated Stage reached Base: All respondents who had undertaken further study or training since graduating (378)

Stage reached by level of qualification Proportion who had completed in 2006: 31% of degree level students 64% of Masters students 52% of Certificate/Diploma students

Plans to study in next 5 years

Plans to study in the next 5 years

3. Work and employment Changes in employment status Job changes and job improvements Importance of Birkbeck study: subject based, general knowledge/skills and formal qualification

…. my nice shiny new job is the thing that I’m happiest with, I’ve got sort of more responsibility, I’ve got better time management skills…and I’ve got an ability to kind of probe questions in a way that I didn’t think about before, there’s an awful lot more to life than I’d realised…

Changes in employment status

Gross individual income 12% 23% 18% 29% 21% 9% 17% 7% 10% 13% 10% 11% 14% Less than £10000£10000-£19999£20000-£29999£30000-£39999 £40000-£49999£50000+Not stated Base: All respondents in 2006 (431)

Use of Birkbeck skills and knowledge in current job

Use of subject based knowledge

Work related change 2006 compared with 2003

The importance of Birkbeck for work changes

Importance of learning and qualifications for career 29% 19% 31% 23% 15% 23% 32% 19% 15% 16% 47% 31% Skills & knowledge gained At Birkbeck Formal Birkbeck qualification Qualification gained since Very importantFairly importantNot at all importantDK/Not applicable Base: All respondents (431)

Qualification very important % Undergrad:37 Postgrad:37 Cert/Dip:18 All29

Skills and knowledge very important % Undergrad:35 Postgrad:40 Cert/Dip:22 All31

Qualification gained later very important % Undergrad:22 Postgrad:15 Cert/Dip:20 All19

4. Wider impact Relations with family and friends Involvement in community Personal benefits: attitudes, health and wellbeing

Impact on family relations

Impact on friendships YesNoD/K- N/A Lost touch with friends from before I studied 13%68%19% I have made some lasting friendships 53%37%10% One or more people I know have enrolled on Birkbeck courses 33%39%28%

Community involvement

Other wider benefits As a result of studying 13% 15% 20% 36% 54% 67% 83% My physical health has improved I live a healthier lifestyle I am generally more socially active My mental health has improved I feel happier I am more interested in learning & reading I have become more self-confident I have acquired new perspectives, new goals Base: All respondents in 2006 (431)

I will tell you more for my own self esteem than anything else. I didn’t believe that it would become so important to the rest of my life as it has done.

Further work Comparison with Open University responses Qualitative analysis of interviews – linking them to questionnaire responses