Universities in Scotland: responding to change
Kirsty ConlonHead of Learning & Teaching & Widening Access PolicyUniversities Scotland
16 May 2012
Universities in Scotland: Strengths
• 5 universities in the world’s top 200 (Times Higher Education rankings)
• Overall student satisfaction 86% (National Student Survey)
• Research power: 2nd highest in world for citations per paper, 83% of Scottish research internationally excellent (Scottish Government 2009 and RAE)
Universities in Scotland: Diversity
• Diverse institutions, diverse missions• Diverse student body:
– 1 in 10 enter with advanced standing having studied an HNC or HND
– 2 in every 10 enter their degree programme with advanced standing into years two or three
– 4 in every 10 study part time– Proud to welcome students from full diversity of
background: 31% from more challenged socio-economic backgrounds
• New curriculum for Scottish (state) schools• More about delivery than content and particularly enabling young
people to be:– Successful learners– Confident individuals– Responsible citizens– Effective contributors
• Expected to lead to more diversity:– How schools configure the senior phase– Patterns of qualifications– Co-curriculum being emphasised more
SR settlement
Policy changes: Curriculum for Excellence
– Scottish Government desire for universities to respond to CfE, particularly:
• Admissions• Learning and teaching
– “Beyond the Senior phase” – report from Universities Scotland to be published on 18 May.
– Identifies actions for universities.– Welcomed by stakeholders so far.
Curriculum for Excellence & Universities
CfE & Admissions
• Each university makes own admissions decisions.
• All universities committed to fair access• Beyond senior phase - 2 big recommendations:
– University leaders affirm that they continue to be committed to fair admissions policies with equal consideration of suitable candidates irrespective of senior phase opportunities.
– Review of admissions policy and practice within each institution, to ensure this can happen
• Universities regularly review programmes’ content and learning & teaching methods
• Already accommodate diverse learners (Scottish, RUK, EU, international, mature...)
• Scottish sector involved in Enhancement Themes – Combination of institution and national action– Previous theme: Graduates for the 21st Century– Current theme: Developing & Supporting the
Curriculum
CfE & Learning & Teaching
L&T: Graduates for the 21st Century
• Graduate attributes developed by all universities
• What they wanted graduates to get from study over and above subject content.
• Different in all universities.• Common themes, which are similar to CfE.• Also looked at how to help students develop
these attributes
L&T: Graduates for the 21st Century 2
Graduate attributes in Scottish
universities
Lifelong learning
Research, scholarship &
enquiry
Employability & career
development
Global citizenship
Communication & information
literacy
Ethical, social & professional
understanding
Personal & intellectual autonomy
Collaboration, teamwork & leadership
L&T: Developing & Supporting the Curriculum
• Different strands, but CfE highlighted as issue of importance.– Briefings – Symposium event in June
• Desire to be ready
• Not new.• Various examples:
– Delivering school qualifications– Delivering university courses
• OUS – YASS• UHI & Highland council• East Lothian Hospitality & Tourism academy
Universities & Schools working together
Existing Activity: work with schools
Dundee City Campus• Involves Dundee’s two
universities in the delivery of “minority Highers” and
Advanced Highers • Increases choice for pupils
and saves money
Existing activity: work with schools 2
University of Aberdeen & Aberdeen Grammar & Ellon Academy in Aberdeenshire. Range of flexible science subjects offered to NE schools since 2009 to complement students’ S6 portfolio or give them an experience of a new discipline.
This programme will role out across all Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire schools in academic year 2012. Plans to expand into other subjects according to demand from schools such as languages .
• Green paper published December 2010• Consultation paper in September 2011 • Expect legislation –later this year• “Learner journey” one issue
– Desire to increase efficiency– Desire to increase personalisation
• Desire to decrease (perceived) overlap between final year of school, Y1 at universities and HNC/HND.
• Push for more direct entry into second year.• Desire to widen access
Policy change: post-16 agenda
How do we get there?Keep the learner at the centre
ArticulationMore Advanced Highers & Baccalaureates
The four-year degree
Curriculum for excellence
Second chances
Mature learners
Part-time Fast-track degrees
• “Something for something”– Spending Review settlement– Post-16 agenda
• Between SFC and individual institutions.• Pilot versions on widening access.• Now all institutions, but smaller focus in first
year.
Outcome agreements
• Retention• Articulation from colleges• Accelerated degrees, including direct entry into second year• Access to university for people from the widest possible range
of backgrounds• The pattern and spread of provision• Efficiency, both in the learning journey and of institutions• The entrepreneurial and employability skills of graduates.• International competitiveness in research• University/industry collaboration and the exploitation of
research
Focus of outcome agreements
• Primary SFC focus for this initial year:– Widening participation
• Expect focus on Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) as a measure
• SIMD issues– Gap between statistics and individuals– Moving targets & new edition (November 2012)– National numbers & disincentives to collaborate
– Knowledge exchange– ‘Patterns of provision’
Focus for 2012-13
Widening Access: sector
• Schools for HE Programme– LEAPS– FOCUS West– Aspire North– LIFT Off
• Scottish Wider Access Programme• Articulation Hubs• Access to Professions (various schemes)• Institutional schemes
Articulation hubs: impact
estimates
Source: SFC using ELRAH dataset
84% increase
The vast majority of HND students enter with advanced standing
Level of entry into a degree courseYear one(SCQF 7)
Year two(SCQF 8)
Year three(SCQF 9)
No answer
TOTAL
HND(SCQF 8) 8% 16% 75% 1% 100%
Source: Adapted from table 11, CRLL Tracking Study – final report
Policy changes: Rest of UK (RUK) fees
• Tuition fees for RUK students increased (set by universities within limits)
• Bursaries available for RUK students (also separately for Scottish students).
• Universities Scotland analysis (endorsed by Scottish Government and NUS Scotland):• Fees on average lower than in England.• Bursaries on average more generous than in England.
• RUK numbers now uncapped.
RUK fees: Why?
• Response to policy changes in England• Manage cross-border flows of students • Protect places for Scottish students• Scottish/EU numbers subject to a cap (used to
include RUK students).• These numbers only for Scots/EU students
UCAS data: April 2012Domicile 2012
applications with at least one Scottish HEI
2011 applications with at least one Scottish HEIs
% change 2011 to 2012
England 25,025 26,513 -5.6%
NI 5,211 6,131 -15.0%
Scotland 40,623 41,384 -1.8%
Wales 861 842 2.3%
EU 17726 16711 6.1%
Rest of world
12386 10223 21.2%
Total 101832 101,804 0.0%
• Applications down from UK (except Wales).
• English applications to England down 10%
• Demographics• Demand vs.
supply
UCAS data: April 2012Domicile % of applications to at least one Scottish
institution 2012 applications
2011 applications
% change 2011 to 2012
England 5.3% 5.0% 0.2%
NI 16.0% 17.3% -1.3%
Wales 2.5% 2.4% 0.1%
RUK total 5.7% 5.6% 0.1%
Scotland 89.8% 88.2% 1.6%
EU 32.0% 27.0% 4.9%
Rest of World
17.7% 16.4% 1.3%
• Share of UK applications to Scottish institutions holding steady.
• Fewer funded places (now Scots EU only)
• Fewer Scots applying to RUK
• Increased EU applicant numbers
Pressure on places
Future
• Challenges ahead • Need flexibility• But key thing:
– Students and improving opportunities for them– This will be central to responses to challenges
Thank you
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