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Employers and universities are
calling for major changes to student funding in England, to reverse the
collapse in part-time student numbers, notes Sean Coughlan, BBC News education correspondent.
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| Employers say university has to be available for adults wanting to re-train. Photo: Getty Images |
Part-time undergraduate numbers have fallen by more than 50% since 2010.
The CBI and Universities UK want more support for students to take short, flexible part-time courses.
A joint statement warns of a generation of "lost learners" who might previously have gone back to study for part-time degrees or other qualifications.
Skills gap
They are calling for a more flexible system, where students can take shorter courses and with greater support for people who are trying to work and study.
They suggest funding could be drawn from the apprenticeship levy paid by employers.
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Tuition fees barrier
For the CBI and UUK report, there were interviews with more than 830 people who had considered going on to study part-time, but had decided against it or dropped out.
They were asked what barriers needed to be removed, and 59% wanted cheaper tuition fees, 44% more flexible courses to fit around their other commitments and 37% wanted more support for living costs.
The project's chair, Julie Lydon, vice chancellor of the University of South Wales, said the current system was failing to meet the "significant demand" for a more flexible approach to studying.
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Source: BBC News
