§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a breakdown by age, sex and social class of student enrolments in the Open University since 1971.
Table 1: Open University Students by Occupation United Kingdom Calendar Year 1983 1984 Undergraduates Associates Undergraduates Associates Occupation at commencement of studies per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. Housewives 17.3 12.9 17.2 13.3 Armed Forces 3.1 0.9 3.0 0.8 Administrators and managers 4.3 3.9 4.2 3.5 Teachers and lecturers 18.3 30.4 17.4 32.7 The professions and the arts 10.5 13.4 10.5 13.0 Qualified scientists and engineers 3.8 5.1 3.7 5.4 Technical personnel: including data processing, draughtsmen and technicians 12.9 8.5 13.0 8.1 Electrical, electronic, metal and machines, engineering and allied trades 3.3 1.8 3.5 2.0 Farming mining, construction and other manufacturing 2.3 1.3 2.2 1.1 Communications and transport: air, sea, road and rail 1.9 1.0 1.8 1.0 Clerical and office staff 10.7 5.8 10.7 5.7 Shopkeepers, sales, services, sport and recreation workers 4.6 2.6 4.5 2.5 Retired, independent means, not working (other than housewives) students 5.7 9.8 6.3 8.3 In institutions, eg prison, chronic sick, etc 0.4 0.2 0.4 0.2 No information 0.8 2.4 1.5 2.5 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Total (Numbers) (66,403) (7,367) (66,763) (8,675)
TABLE 2 Open University students by sex 1971 to 1984 United Kingdom Calender Undergraduates Percentage Percentage Associates Percentage Percentage year men women men women 1971 19,581 73.0 27.0 — — — 1972 31,902 69.3 30.7 — — — 1973 38,424 67.2 32.8 1,885 — — 1974 42,636 65.1 34.9 1,350 — — 1975 49,358 62.4 37.6 4,188 53.6 46.4 1976 50,994 60.8 39.2 4,578 55.6 44.4 1977 55,397 59.5 40.5 5,576 53.7 46.3 1978 58,778 58.7 41.3 6,923 48.2 51.8 1979 60,579 57.5 42.5 8,778 49.1 50.9 1980 61,007 57.5 42.5 7,889 49.5 50.5 1981 59,968 56.4 43.6 7,078 48.1 51.9 1982 63,119 55.3 44.7 7,150 48.0 52.0 1983 66,403 55.0 45.0 7,367 49.6 50.4 1984 66,763 54.8 45.2 8,675 48.6 51.4
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TABLE 3 Open University students by age 1984 United Kingdom Age Per cent. Up to 21 — 21 to 25 4.6 26 to 30 17.9 31 to 35 23.5 36 to 40 21.8 41 to 45 11.7 46 to 50 8.1 51 to 54 5.2 55 and over 7.2
§ Mr. WaldenThe Open University collects information on occupation but not social class and a cross analysis by age, sex and occupation is not readily available. The available information is shown in the following tables. Information in respect of occupation prior to 1983 has been published by the Open University in their "Digest of Statistics 1971–1982", a copy of which is in the Library.
Age Per cent. 100.0 Total number 66,763
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report the number of students who have enrolled with the Open University in each year since it was established in 1969, the global student population of the Open University in each year, and the number of students graduating in each year.
§ Mr. WaldenThe information is as follows:
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Open University Students 1971–1985 United Kingdom Calendar year Undergraduates New undergraduates Associates Postgraduates New postgraduates Total* Degrees Awarded† BA degrees BA (Hons) 1971 19,581 19,581 — 34 13 19,615 — — 1972 31,902 15,716 — 108 68 32,010 898 — 1973 38,424 12,680 1,885 195 92 40,504 3,640 14 1974 42,636 11,336 1,350 258 80 44,244 5,180 224 1975 49,358 14,830 4,188 338 102 53,884 5,469 448 1976 50,994 12,231 4,578 414 107 55,986 6,027 782 1977 55,397 15,146 5,576 507 116 61,480 5,997 952 1978 58,778 15,622 6,923 582 124 66,283 5,534 1,031 1979 60,579 14,854 8,778 664 160 70,021 5,835 1,068 1980 61,007 14,022 7,889 733 139 69,629 6,091 1,226 1981 59,968 14,410 7,078 711 133 67,757 6,503 1,211 1982 63,119 17,772 7,150 742 174 71,011 6,440 1,241 1983 66,403 17,627 7,367 765 190 74,535 5,555 1,129 1984 66,763 15,446 8,675 856 138 76,294 5,950 1,230 1985 67,433 13,870 8,999 704 — 77,136 — — * excludes short courses, specialised short courses and learning materials.
† excludes a total of 318 higher degrees awarded since 1971.
Note: There were 14 postgraduates admitted during 1969 and 1970.