HC Deb 03 July 2003 vol 408 cc443-4W
Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the university population of students in 2010 will be on the assumption of 50 per cent. participation by those in the age group 18 to 30 years. [121018]

Alan Johnson

[holding answer 24 June 2003]: For any given percentage of participation, the university population on a full-time equivalent basis will depend on a number of factors, such as:

  1. (i) the length of course studied—a higher proportion of students studying shorter courses (e.g. two year Foundation Degrees) would result in lower overall student numbers;
  2. (ii) the mix between full-time and part-time student numbers; and
  3. (iii) the participation rate of those groups of students not included in the initial entry rate measure—e.g. students over 30, European Union students and postgraduates

In addition, in projecting forwards, account has also to be taken of the impact of demographic trends.

Student numbers have been projected ahead for the 2002 spending review period, which covers the three years to 2005–06. The projected number of UK and EU domiciled students attending English universities from 2003–04 to 2005–06, as set out in the Secretary of State's Grant Letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England, is as follows:

Fundable full-time equivalents (FTEs) in English1 institutions
Financial year FTEs (Thousand)
2003–04 1,115
2004–05 1,134
2005–06 1,157
1 DfES fundable higher education students on prescribed courses in institution of further and higher education.

Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many university students in England studied as(a) full-time and (b) part-time in each year from 1996–97 to 2002–03. [123067]

Alan Johnson

The latest available figures for undergraduate students are shown in the table. Comparable data for 2002/03 will be available in December.

UK domiciled students on undergraduate courses in England1
Academic year Full-time Part-time Total
1996/97 747,535 461,987 1,209,522
1997/98 762,027 451,508 1,213,535
1998/99 771,673 458,830 1,230,503
1999/2000 768,001 465,797 1,233,798
2000/01 774,353 488,469 1,262,822
2001/02 796,215 499,777 1,295,992
1 Based on a census count of students as at 1 December. Covers all UK domiciled students on undergraduate courses in HE institutions, FE colleges and the Open University. Undergraduate courses include all first degree, HMD, HNC, and other sub- degree courses.

Source:

Higher Education Statistics Agency.