§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the age participation index for students in full-time advanced further education in each country in the European Community.
§ Mr. WaldenThe table shows new entrants to all higher education as well as to non-university institutions, expressed as a percentage of a single year age cohort (the average population in the most relevant age range).
Figures for non-university institutions only can be misleading for international comparisons, as countries designate institutions as universities or otherwise according to their own conventions and practice. Figures for full-time study only are not readily available.
The United Kingdom figures and to the best of our knowledge those for other countries include entrants of all ages; the Open University and other part-time study; nurses and other paramedical students at National Health Service training establishments.
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New entrants to higher education as a percentage of the relevant population1 Age range2 All higher education Non-university Year Entry index Year Entry index Belgium 18 to 20 3. . 4. . Denmark . . 1983 36 1982 14 France 18 to 20 1982 34 1982 11 Federal Republic of Germany 19 to 21 1984 27 1982 10 Greece . . . . . . Ireland . . 1982 25 1982 10 Italy 19 to 21 1984 28 1983 1 Luxembourg5 . . . . . . Netherlands 18 to 20 1984 638 1984 726 Portugal . . . . . . Spain . . 1980 28 1980 11 United Kingdom8 18 to 21 1984 31 1984 21 . . Not available. 1 Those entering higher education for the first time, full-time and part-time, of all ages, as a percentage of the population in the specified age range, divided by the number of single years involved. 2 Age group encompassing at least 70 per cent, of new entrants. 3 18 for degree-level only in 1984; 51 per cent, of all enrolments are below degree level. 4 Not available; 58 per cent, of all higher education enrolments are in non-university institutions. 5 Most students participate in higher education outside Luxembourg. 6 Includes certain part-time students previously excluded. 7 Partly estimated. 8 Students from abroad are excluded, as are postgraduates and others already having a higher education qualification. Excludes students studying for higher education qualifications outside of the public education system other than nursing and paramedical students at DHSS establishments. If all private sector and correspondence courses were included the United Kingdom figures might be around 40 per 100.