Put part-time study at the heart of policy – Review

A Universities UK report on part-time study warns of the potential for “market failure” under England’s £9,000 (US$14,500) fee regime, recommending that such provision be intrinsic to higher education policy instead of an “add-on”, writes John Morgan for Times Higher Education.

However, some in the sector have warned that the report “doesn’t bite the bullet” on key issues such as funding for second degrees or part-time students’ particular price sensitivity to fees. The review, chaired by Eric Thomas, vice-chancellor of the University of Bristol, was commissioned by the government in response to the 40% fall in part-time undergraduate numbers in England since 2010-11, equivalent to a 105,000 drop.
Full report on the Times Higher Education site