May 23, 2013

What value do students put on HE?

May. 23, 2013 at 08:00 AM | By Jaime O'Connell | Comment Count

In the wake of increased fees, UK students have a clearer idea than ever before of the cost of higher education. But beyond ‘getting a better job,’ has the sector done enough to communicate the broader value of what it has to offer? International Education

Looking at headline figures for 2013 admissions (an overall increase of 2.8%), universities can afford to pat themselves on the back. But this number masks the fact that many universities around the country have suffered a fall in applications in many subject areas. Most noticeably in humanities and science subjects and with applications down from part time and mature students.

Clearly students have made some crucial value judgements, but does the sector understand how these judgements have been formed? Who is taking the leading role in shaping students views about value? As professionals working within and alongside the HE sector we are all passionate about the quality of education and the broader life experience that students can benefit from; but are these benefits clear to students themselves?

The Student Room web community is a barometer for student opinion, so I took to the forums to see what students identify as the benefits of Higher Education.

The answer was clear:

University “prepares you for the real world”
It helps you to “experience different cultures, opinions and life in general.”
It “builds self confidence so you know that you can only rely on yourself to make things happen.”

I found this all really heartening, these students clearly value the broad benefits of university including personal connections and self development. It is important that anyone with the potential to learn at a higher level understand these softer benefits rather than solely focussing on the measurable outputs published in Key Information Set (KIS) data.

Don’t get me wrong KIS data is an excellent thing; it gives students more information to inform their choices and sets expectation around the outcomes of their investment. But there is a danger that by focussing on the tangible outcomes of a higher education degree the less tangible benefits could be forgotten and not factored into the decision.

With the abolition of some career guidance services within schools such as AimHigher and Connexions future potential HE students could be even less equipped to make a fully informed choice over and above ‘it will get me a job’.

In a world where universities are up against credible alternatives such as apprenticeships, it is important that students making choices have the realistic expectation of what they will get in each case and make the right choice for them. An apprenticeship is a direct route into a job, higher education can be but
often isn’t.

There is a challenge for the HE sector to go beyond the figures and statistics and communicate to potential students why they are power houses of learning, how they bring people together and are the entrepreneurial hubs of innovation in this country.

Universities need to come together to showcase the amazing work and research that they do, to introduce pupils in schools, local communities and a cynical press to the academic and student talent that they foster. To inspire anyone that wants to learn.

Jaime O'Connell is the director of product and partnerships at the Student Room.