Business Skills -Week 3 Studying in a Mass HE System

Lecture Considers Trends in student participation and funding Returns to HE – personal and social HE and economic growth Employers’ views of HE Survival in a mass HE system

Trends in Student Participation

UK Funding per HE student

What’s in It for You For Australia, France, Germany, Spain, UK & USA, those with a university education earn on average almost two thirds more than those who left school without A Level, or equivalent, qualifications The unemployment rate for the unqualified is, for Germany, 3 times the rate for graduates, and 5 times the rate in USA

Tyranny of Numbers

Tyranny of Numbers 2010

And Yet More! A recent study by Australian researchers predicts that by 2025 the world-wide student population will rise from its present level of 97million to 260million The number of students studying at, or with, overseas universities will rise from 1.8million to 7.2million by 2025

HE and Economic Growth UK – 40% of all skills shortage vacancies are for graduate occupations UK graduate unemployment rate is at an all- time low of 2.4% UK National Skills Task Force projections predict 1.7million new jobs in occupations requiring graduate level skills Global Competitiveness Index – importance of HE

Employers’ View of HE “there is strong circumstantial evidence from our members and other employers to suggest that a significant number of graduates seeking jobs are lacking in transferable personal workplace skills” (Industry in Education 2001)

Skills preferences

Survival in a Mass HE System In the UK 80% of students enrolling for a degree obtain a degree, 2% obtain another undergraduate qualification and 18% do not obtain an award. What explains the failure of around 1 in 5 students to obtain an award?

The Stay or Quit Decision S/Q Commitment & Motivation Relationship with Staff & Students Money Problems Academic Performance Personal Problems Satisfaction Self-confidence Effective Learner

Financial Problems MORI survey of 1068 students in 20 UK universities Students whose parents came from professional backgrounds owed £1019 less than students whose parents were in either blue-collar manual or unskilled jobs Students from all backgrounds cited debt as the worst aspect of university life

The Social Make-up of UK Universities -1998

Satisfaction Commitment Teaching Quality } Facilities } MOTIVATION & Reputation } COMMITMENT Job Prospects and impact of withdrawal on those prospects Interest in the subject Family support

Course Quality -QAA Business & Management UNL =24/24 Business & Management LGU= 22/24 Business & Management LSE = 24/24 Business & Management Mdx = 22/24 Business & Management Wstm = 20/24 Business & Management SBU = 20/24 Business & Management Grnch = 20/24 Business & Management UCE = 21/24

Conclusion Student in 2002 has a much tougher time of it than the student of 1972 More jobs now requiring graduate qualification, and those without such qualifications tend to be less well paid and more likely to suffer periods of unemployment Convincing yourself you can graduate, is half- way on the journey to doing it