News release
QAA reports Access to Higher Education success in widening participation
A university education is within reach of a diverse mix of students who might have thought themselves excluded on grounds of age, ethnicity, income or past educational achievement, thanks to Access to Higher Education (HE) courses, according to statistics published by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) today.
Access to HE courses offer a way into higher education for students who have few, if any, other qualifications and who may have left school early and been out of education for several years.
Today’s report shows that the 37,840 students registered last year on QAA-recognised Access to HE courses are helping universities to widen participation among key target groups.
The courses have been particularly successful in attracting students from more deprived households: of Access students applying to university, there were notably higher proportions within the most deprived areas and lower proportions within the least deprived areas than their non-Access counterparts. 18.5 per cent of English Access students applying to university came from the most deprived areas (by the Index of Multiple Deprivation), compared with 8.1 per cent of other students. By contrast, whereas 13.7 per cent of non-Access applicants came from the most affluent districts, this was true of only 5.1 per cent of Access students.
The 1,000+ Access to HE courses are mostly delivered in further education colleges and are nationally recognised through a scheme operated by QAA. QAA has recently redeveloped the Access to HE qualification and, from 2008-09, all Access courses will lead to a new Access to HE Diploma.
Other main findings highlighted in the Access Key statistics for 2006-07 include:
- 61 per cent of Access to HE students were aged under 30
- 28.5 per cent were from minority ethnic groups
- 67 per cent of students completed the course, of those registered to complete within the year
- 83 per cent of students who completed the course gained the Access to HE certificate
- the number of Access of HE certificates awarded was 19,923
- subjects allied to medicine (including nursing) were the most popular choice for Access students progressing to HE
- the non-continuation rate for students entering higher education with a QAA- recognised Access to HE certificate was 13.3%. (The average for mature students from all routes was 14.4.%)
Further information about Access to Higher Education can be accessed at www.accesstohe.ac.uk
Further statistical information about Access to HE can be accessed at
www.accesstohe.ac.uk/partners/statistics/default.asp
Ends
Notes to editors
For further information, contact Susan Hogan, Communications Officer, QAA
tel 01452 557047, fax 01452 557070,
email s.hogan@qaa.ac.uk
Key Statistics 2008, is available to download at www.accesstohe.ac.uk
About QAA
QAA regulates the national recognition of Access to HE courses and is responsible for assuring the quality of recognised courses and the adequacy of standards of student achievement on these courses.
The QAA Recognition Scheme for Access to Higher Education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has three elements:
- national level: QAA has overall responsibility for the management of the framework and the implementation of the Recognition Scheme
- regional level: Access validating agencies (AVAs) are licensed by QAA to approve Access to HE courses and to award the Diploma to students
- local level: Access to HE course providers (mostly further education colleges) deliver courses and recommend learners for the award of the Diploma.