Higher education provision in further education colleges some findings and methodological considerations Anne Thompson What is it HE in FE HE in FECs College based HE HEFCE HE in FECs is already a distinctive part of the HE system While it is dangerous to overgeneralise about a divers ID: 810677
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Slide1
SRHE Seminar19 March 2013
Higher education provision in further education colleges: some findings and methodological considerations
Anne Thompson
Slide2What is it?
HE in FE
HE in FECs
College based HE
Slide3HEFCE
‘HE in FECs is already a distinctive part of the HE system. While it is dangerous to over-generalise about a diverse system, HE students in FECs are more likely to be over 25, more likely to study part-time, and more likely to come from areas with low rates of participation in HE than students in HEIs. They are more likely to be studying foundation degrees and sub-degree programmes such as HNCs and HNDs.’
(Para
32,
Higher education in further education colleges. Consultation on HEFCE policy
. HEFCE, November
2006/48)
2009
:
all directly and indirectly funded colleges required to submit a higher education strategy to HEFCE by January 2010 to cover all higher level provision (including NPHE)
(Request for higher education strategies from further education colleges
, March 2009/13)
Slide4What is higher education?
Above level 3/level 4 and above
National Qualifications Framework (NQF) - from 1997 all accredited general and vocational qualifications. Originally five levels with 4 and 5 being HE. Now nine levels - entry to level 8
NQF and
QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (
FHEQ) aligned at levels 4 to 8 in 2004, NVQ 4 and 5 not
reallocated
Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) -regulated vocational qualifications offered by recognised Awarding Organisations. Nine levels – entry to level 8
Slide5Funding of HE in FECs
HEFCE funding:
p
rescribed HE
d
irect funding (whole qualifications only) - students registered at the FEC
i
ndirect funding - via a franchise arrangement. Students registered at the HEI but taught at the FEC
SFA funding:
n
on prescribed HE (NPHE) – awards at level 4 and above on the QCF
e
xcluding full cost provision
Slide6Data returns
Different data returns are made with different timescales and requirements.
HEFCE funded HE:
w
here funding is indirect, the HEI includes the students taught at the FEC on their HESA return as well as on the Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey (HESES)
FECs with direct funding make the return via the ILR to the Data Service and their early return to HEFCE, the
Higher
Education in Further
Education: Student Survey (HEIFES). The two sets of data are subsequently (after end of year) reconciled by HEFCE
NPHE:
r
eturned on the ILR
t
he definition of full-time and part-time varies from HEFCE’s
a
s do the subject categories
Slide7Understanding higher education in further education colleges, BIS Research Report Number 69, June 2012
Conducted March 2011 to March 2012:
l
iterature review
s
tatistical analysis of administrative data on provision and participation
f
ieldwork in 25 FECs – interviews with college managers; HEI partners; questionnaire survey of students; in class discussions with students
interviews with employers – national and collaborators with colleges
Slide8National data analysis
Integrated data set for 2009-10:
constructed using ‘fuzzy matching’ across the ILR and HESA
a
nalytical work undertaken by HEFCE, using model previously developed by University of Sheffield
Categories of higher education used:
Postgraduate
Bachelor’s (first degree)
Other undergraduate (FDs, HNs, Dip and Cert HE)
Other higher level
Slide9Provision 2009-10
177,260 taught in FECs. 8% of the HE population
283 out of 349 FECs provided HE. Mainly in general FECs (224 out of 225) and specialist institutions (25 out of 33)
61% undergraduate; 36% other higher level; 3% postgraduate
60% part-time overall but, for undergraduate, 55% full-time
31% of students were directly funded by HEFCE; 33% indirectly; 18% by LSC/SFA and 17% Other
m
ost colleges had more than one funding route; 37% had three
i
ndirect funding partnerships involved 245 colleges and 68 HEIs
Slide10contd
a minority of FECs accounted for the majority of HE students
compared to HEIs, students in FECs were older
20% of new entrants taught at FECs were from low participation areas compared to 11% for HEIs with the gap being wider for young entrants than for older entrants
t
hose joining undergraduate courses had a broader range of entry qualifications – fewer with A levels and more with level 3 vocational qualifications or lower level qualifications
b
ut more of the students taught in FECs than those taught in HEIs had HE qualifications – many would have had an FD or HN and progressed into the final year of a bachelor’s
Slide11Fieldwork – 25 FECs
Selection of 25 colleges using the integrated data set for 2006-07
t
otal of 299 colleges reduced to those with 400+ numbers = 150
s
tatistical selection taking into account volume and region
f
or each college, target quotas totalling 100 identified for qualification aim (Bachelor, Other UG and Other HE) by mode (FT, PT)
Fieldworkers negotiated with college managers to identify appropriate groups to administer questionnaires to meet targets as well as one in-class discussion group per college
Slide12Methodological issues
For selection of 25 case studies:
integrated data set (the only one available) was for 2006-07
mergers had to be taken into account
For
identification of
quotas:
it became evident volume and balance of
qual
aims had changed since 2006-07
t
he fieldworkers negotiated with college managers to identify groups to meet the targets in summer 2011 but the questionnaires were administered in autumn 2011 and patterns of provision shifted (over and under recruitment)
During the
project,
2009-10 data became available but the
questionnaire responses
were gathered in
2011-12
Slide13NPHE
For NPHE, there were particular problems in meeting the targets leading to these students being excluded from the main analysis:
NPHE and HEFCE-funded HE are often managed separately and/or the data collected in separate MIS
the
patterns of provision had shifted considerably – usually a decline but not always – apparently due to withdrawal of SFA funding which had led to withdrawal of provision or a shift to full cost
funding
w
here provision was identified, the staff and/or the students often refused to participate in the project because it would eat into very limited contact time for which significant fees were usually being paid
Slide14Questionnaire findings
2,523 undergraduate students (Bachelor and Other UG):
o
verall the students had traditional undergraduate characteristics (female, aged 24 and under, white, single, childless with highest qualification 2 A levels or equivalent) but were mainly non-traditional in that neither parent had an HE qualification
t
he majority were aiming for an FD and studied full-time on a course directly funded by HEFCE
t
heir motives for entering HE were primarily instrumental
a
round 2/3rds had only applied to study at this college. This and the selection of the college because it was close to home/work or because they had previously studied there led the author to question whether they were making an informed choice
a
minority thought they had chosen to apply to a university
Slide15UCAS – applications and enrolment
One of the findings from the student questionnaires which attracted attention was that 1 in 10 students did not realise they were applying to a college rather than a university. It may not be apparent to an applicant to a franchised course going via UCAS that it is not taught at the HEI
2013/03 notes that around 40% of applicants to FECs do not go through UCAS which limits the availability of early data on FEC applications.
Slide16Updates
Slide17HEFCE funded provision
In 2012-13 187 FECs receive direct funding from HEFCE
65 of these were not in receipt of direct funding in 2011-12 but were allocated numbers from the 20,000 places made available under the ‘margin’.
155 FECs collectively received 10,354 places.
It appears that c 2,700 are unfilled (compared to 4,000 at HEIs).
The colleges undershooting were largely those with smaller allocations (under 75).
(HEFCE 2013/03)
Slide18Widening participation and non-continuation indicators for further education colleges. Overview of trends HEFCE, August 2012, 2012/20
U
sing ILR and HESA data 2008-09 to 2009-10
Previously UK HE performance indicators did not include (prescribed) HE provision for students registered at FECs. Now to be produced annually
In FECs the proportions of registered entrants who were from low participation neighbourhoods (LPNs) were higher than those proportions of taught entrants
Slide19Destinations of leavers from higher education in further education colleges. Key findings: leavers up to academic year 2010-11. HEFCE, January 2013, 2013/01
The first publication of destination information for higher education provision registered at HEFCE-funded FECs
Previously the data for franchised students (i.e. registered at HEIs) was captured in the HEI’s data but not that for directly funded students (i.e. registered at the FEC)
Derived from responses to the Higher Education in Further Education Destinations of Leavers from the Higher Education (HE in FE DLHE) survey 2008-09 to 2010-11
To be produced annually
Slide20Shaping the future: opportunities for HE provision in FE colleges. MEG and 157 Group, 157 Group, October 2012
Report of a survey conducted May 2012 among members of MEG and the 157 Group:
u
ses data for 2009-10 provided by HEFCE but survey data is for 2010-11
f
ound it difficult to capture data on NPHE. Notes the volume of full cost funded NPHE is not collected
Slide21Higher education in England. Impact of the 2012 reforms, HEFCE, March 2013, 2013/03
Contains data on 2012-13 enrolment and trends.
Includes a section ‘How have further education colleges which offer higher education been affected?’ summarising numbers and reporting on the results of the survey conducted between November 2012 and January 2013 asking colleges about opportunities and challenges for the college and their students (p43).
Slide222013/03 - HEFCE funded numbers in FECs
Full-time undergraduate provision in FECs grew overall between 2011-12 and 2012-13
Franchise numbers dropped by slightly more than 4,000 (almost 15%)
But directly funded places increased by 7,500 (26%)
Overall (direct and franchise) the number of full-time undergraduates increased by around 3,500 (almost 6%)
Slide232013/03 - Recruitment
The drop in
overall full-time
undergraduate applications and acceptances (UK applicants) is much greater for mature students
There
was a significant fall in part-time recruitment to HE overall, especially for undergraduate provision. Part-time students are more likely to be non-traditional and to be mature
Colleges reported
(in the survey) a drop
in demand for part-time courses because of a reluctance to take out student loans particularly among mature students
Slide242013/03 - Partnerships
HEFCE reports indications from HEIs that FECs are filling their own places before franchise places which ‘would be a contributing factor to under-recruitment at universities’. ‘These and other issues are causing some universities to review their franchise provision, leading in some cases to withdrawals from these partnerships’.
(
para
100)
Slide25Links
Understanding higher education in further education colleges. BIS Research paper number 69, June 2012. Gareth Parry, University of Sheffield, Claire
Callender
, Peter Scott and Paul Temple, Institute of Education, University of London.
https://
www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-higher-education-in-further-education-colleges
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/lt/heinfe
/
http://www.aoc.co.uk/en/policy-and-advice/higher-education
/
HE in FE Guide,
AoC
supported by LSIS,
AoC
2012. Also on the HEA website
http://
www.heacademy.ac.uk/he-in-fe