Lifelong Learning and the University: A Post-Dearing Agenda

195 Pages·1998·1.49 MB·English

by  Richard Taylor

Lifelong Learning and the University

Lifelong Learning and
the University:
A Post-Dearing Agenda
David Watson and
Richard Taylor
UK The Falmer Press, 1 Gunpowder Square, London, EC4A 3DE
USA The Falmer Press, Taylor & Francis Inc., 1900 Frost Road, Suite 101,
Bristol, PA 19007

This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2003.
© D.Watson and R.Taylor, 1998
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
permission in writing from the Publisher.

First published in 1998
A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British
Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data are
available on request

ISBN 0-203-20937-0 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN 0-203-26754-0 (Adobe eReader Format)
ISBN 0 7507 0785 2 cased
ISBN 0 7507 0784 4 paper

Jacket design by Caroline Archer

Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders for their
permission to reprint material in this book. The publishers would be
grateful to hear from any copyright holder who is not here
acknowledged and will undertake to rectify any errors or omissions
in future editions of this book.
Contents
List of Figures vi
List of Acronyms ix
Foreword—Professor Martin Harris xi
Introduction xiii
Part 1: The Context: From Robbing to Dearing 1
Chapter 1 Changes in UK Higher Education 3
Chapter 2 Changes in Society, the Economy and Politics 14
Chapter 3 Europe and Lifelong Learning 21
Part 2: Participation 25
Chapter 4 Getting into Higher Education 27
Chapter 5 Getting on in Higher Education 33
Chapter 6 Coming Back to Higher Education 39
Part 3: Curriculum 45
Chapter 7 Modules, Semesters and Credits 47
Chapter 8 Learning in the University 55
Chapter 9 Learning Away from the University 62
Chapter 10 The Professional Dimension 68
Chapter 11 Quality and Standards 74
Part 4: Resources 81
Chapter 12 Supporting Students 83
Chapter 13 Supporting Institutions 95
Chapter 14 Supporting Staff 109
Chapter 15 Supporting Communities 115
Chapter 16 Supporting the State 122
Part 5: Impact 129
Chapter 17 Lifelong Learning and the World of Work 131
Chapter 18 Lifelong Learning and the Common Culture 135
Chapter 19 Lifelong Learning and the University Community 142
Part 6: Postscript 149
Chapter 20 The Dearing Vision: A Prognosis 151
Chapter 21 Lifelong Learning and UACE 156
References 166
Index 173
v
List of Figures
1 Changes in UK Higher Education
Figure 1.1 Total HE students UK, 1960/61 to 1995/96 4
Figure 1.2 Higher education age participation index (API)—GB
institutions, 1961–95 4
Figure 1.3 Number of students by mode of study and level of
course, 1979–96 5
Figure 1.4 Women as a percentage of total home full-time
students, 1979–96 (GB) 6
Figure 1.5 Percentage of home full-time first year students on
undergraduate courses aged 21 and over, and 25 and
over, 1979–96 (GB) 6
Figure 1.6 Participation rates for Great Britain, by social class,
1991–96 7
Figure 1.7 Ethnicity in higher education and the national
population, 1994, per cent 7
Figure 1.8 Numbers of UK domiciled undergraduate students by
disability, 1994 8
Figure 1.9 Aspects of participation post-Robbins and post-Baker 9
Figure 1.10 Calls for expansion post-Dearing 11
Figure 1.11 Number of universities, UK, 1950–95 11
2 Changes in Society, the Economy and Politics
Figure 2.1 Progress towards national education and training
targets in the United Kingdom 15
3 Europe and lifelong Learning
Figure 3.1 EYLL themes 1996 23
4 Getting into Higher Education
Figure 4.1 Percentage of home full-time degree programme
entrants, 1994 28
Figure 4.2 Participation by social classes III–V, 1979–93 28
vi
List of Figures
5 Getting on in Higher Education
Figure 5.1 British university entrants: A-level scores of home
candidates accepted through UCCA, 1971–91 34
Figure 5.2 Outcomes of HEFCE’s quality assessment
1992–95 and 1995–96 35
Figure 5.3 OECD: First degree (or equivalent) graduation rates,
1992 36
7 Modules, Semesters and Credits
Figure 7.1 Survey of credit schemes in all universities, 1993 48
Figure 7.2 Inventory of arguments for and against modularity 49–50
Figure 7.3 Dearing: A qualifications framework 52
10 The Professional Dimension
Figure 10.1 Change in postgraduate and undergraduate choice
of subjects: GB, 1983/84 to 1993/94 69
Figure 10.2 Professional body and educational concerns 70
Figure 10.3 Health care in higher education: Stake-holders 72
11 Quality and Standards
Figure 11.1 Historical framework of external quality assurance 75
Figure 11.2 Graduate Standards Programme: Recommendations 77
12 Supporting Students
Figure 12.1 Benefits in kind from higher education, 1979–93 87
Figure 12.2 Source of student income, 1988/89, 1992/93 and
1995/96 (students aged under 26 only) 88
Figure 12.3 Dearing: Graduate contribution options 90
13 Supporting Institutions
Figure 13.1 Unit public funding, 1979–97 96
Figure 13.2 Public expenditure on higher education in the UK as
a percentage of GDP, 1976–95 97
vii
List of Figures
Figure 13.3 Total expenditure from public, private and international
sources for tertiary education institutions plus public
subsidies to households, 1995–96 98
Figure 13.4 Public expenditure on higher education in the UK
(1995–96 prices) 99
Figure 13.5 HEFCE research funding as a percentage of T and R
funding, 1996–97 100
14 Supporting Staff
Figure 14.1 Real earnings growth among professional staff,
1981–1992 110
Figure 14.2 Hay review: Selected pay comparisons 1997 110
Figure 14.3 The university hierarchy 112
20 The Dearing Vision: A Prognosis
Figure 20.1 The Dearing ‘purposes’ of higher education 152
Figure 20.2 DfEE ‘extra’ funding: 1998–99 153
viii
List of Acronyms
AGCAS Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services
AGR Association of Graduate Recruiters
APL Accreditation of Prior Learning
APEL Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning
APR Age Participation Rate
AUT Association of University Teachers
BTEC Business and Technician Education Council
CAT Colleges of Advanced Technology
CATS Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme
CBI Confederation of British Industry
CE Continuing Education
CIHE Council for Industry and Higher Education
C&IT Communications and Information Technology
CNAA Council for National Academic Awards
CPD Continuing Professional Development
CVCP Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals
CVE Continuing Vocational Education
DES Department of Education and Science
DfEE Department for Education and Employment
DL Distance Learning
EU European Union
EYLL European Year of Lifelong Learning
FE Further Education
FEIs Further Education Institutions
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GNP Gross National Product
GNVQ General National Vocational Qualification
GSP Graduate Standards Programme
HE Higher Education
HEQC Higher Education Quality Council
HEFCE Higher Education Funding Council for England
HEIs Higher Education Institutions
HESA Higher Education Statistics Agency
HMI Her Majesty’s Inspectorate
HNC Higher National Certificate
HND Higher National Diploma
JANET Joint Academic Network
ix