Statistical First Release 130

HESA SFR 130

HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ENROLMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS OBTAINED AT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2007/08

Introduction

This Statistical First Release (SFR) has been produced by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in collaboration with statisticians from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), the Scottish Government (SG) and the Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland (DEL(NI)). It has been released according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority. It provides details of student enrolments and qualifications obtained by higher education (HE) students at HE institutions (HEIs) in the United Kingdom (UK) for the academic year 2007/08.

Readers should be aware that data definitions sometimes change over time and this can affect the validity of time series comparisons. In particular, there have been considerable changes in the 2007/08 enrolments and qualifiers data collection. As a result, time series data within this release will not correspond to previously published HESA data. Any significant changes have been explained in the Notes to Editors and/or Definitions.

Please note, key points have been derived from the Excel tables (these can be found below). Comparisons with 2006/07 data have only been included where they can be derived from these tables.

Key Points - Enrolments (All UK HEIs)

• The total number of HE enrolments at UK HEIs stood at 2,306,105 in 2007/08, showing no percentage change from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 1)

• Postgraduate and undergraduate enrolments both showed no percentage change between 2006/07 and 2007/08. (Ref. Table 1)

• 1,480,385 of all enrolments were full-time, an increase in numbers of 2% since 2006/07. The number of part-time enrolments fell by 3% over the same period. (Ref. Table 1)

• The number of full-time first year enrolments increased by 3% between 2006/07 and 2007/08, part-time first year enrolments fell by 2%. (Ref. Table 2)

• Between 2006/07 and 2007/08, the number of enrolments of UK domiciled students fell by 1% (from 1,978,715 to 1,964,315). The number of all other European Union (EU) domiciled students increased by 6% (from 105,410 to 112,150). Over the same period, the number of Non-EU domiciled students increased by 4% (from 220,575 to 229,640). (Ref. Table 1)

• 44% of full-time enrolments in 2007/08 were in science subjects, an increase in numbers of 1% between 2006/07 and 2007/08. (Ref. Table 3)

• 35% of part-time enrolments in 2007/08 were in science subjects, a decrease in numbers of 3% between 2006/07 and 2007/08. (Ref. Table 3)

Key Points - Qualifications Obtained (All UK HEIs)

• In 2007/08 there were 334,890 first degree graduates compared to 319,260 in 2006/07, an increase of 5%. (Ref. Table 5)

• Of those gaining a classified first degree in 2007/08, 13% obtained a first class honours award, the same as in 2006/07, and 48% obtained an upper second class honours award, the same as in the previous year. (Ref. Table 6)

• 11% of first degree graduates gained their award through part-time study in 2007/08, compared to 12% in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 5)

• 57% of first degree graduates in 2007/08 were women, the same as in the previous year. (Ref. Table 5)

• In 2007/08, 41% of first degree graduates achieved their qualification in a science discipline, compared to 42% in the previous year. Of these science graduates, 51% were women, compared to 50% in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 7)

• 14,975 students were awarded a foundation degree in 2007/08 compared to 11,635 in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 5)

• The number awarded other undergraduate qualifications (excluding foundation degrees and Professional Graduate Certificates in Education) was 118,475 in 2007/08, showing no percentage change from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 5)

• 28,060 students were awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Education/Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in 2007/08, a decrease of 1% from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 5)

• 202,010 students obtained HE qualifications at postgraduate level in 2007/08. Of these, 19,470 (10%) completed their studies mainly by research, and a further 182,540 (90%) obtained qualifications after following taught postgraduate courses. (Ref. Table 7)

• 134,185 students obtaining HE qualifications in 2007/08 came from non-UK countries. They accounted for 20% of all students awarded HE qualifications in 2007/08. (Ref. Table 5)

Key Points - Enrolments (England only)

• The total number of HE enrolments at English HEIs stood at 1,922,185 in 2007/08, an increase of 1% from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 1a)

• 1,218,820 of all enrolments were full-time, an increase in numbers of 3% since 2006/07. The number of part-time enrolments fell by 3% over the same period. (Ref. Table 1a)

• The number of full-time first year enrolments increased by 4% between 2006/07 and 2007/08, whereas part-time first year enrolments decreased by 2% over the same period. (Ref. Table 2a)

• Between 2006/07 and 2007/08, the number of enrolments of UK domiciled students showed no percentage change (from 1,641,310 to 1,637,925). The number of all other European Union (EU) domiciled students increased by 6% (from 83,695 to 89,010). Over the same period, the number of Non-EU domiciled students increased by 4% (from 187,045 to 195,250). (Ref. Table 1a)

• In 2007/08, 97% of English domiciled, first year undergraduates studied at English HEIs, the same as in 2006/07. Similarly, in 2007/08, 96% of English domiciled, first year postgraduates studied at English HEIs, the same as in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 4)

Key Points - Qualifications Obtained (England only)

• In 2007/08 there were 277,685 first degree graduates compared to 262,375 in 2006/07, an increase of 6%. (Ref. Table 5a)

• Of those gaining a classified first degree in 2007/08, 13% obtained a first class honours award and 48% obtained an upper second class honours award. (Ref. Table 6a)

• 57% of first degree graduates in 2007/08 were women, compared to 56% in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 5a)

• 14,355 students were awarded a foundation degree in 2007/08 compared to 11,000 in 2006/07, an increase of 30%. (Ref. Table 5a)

• 166,310 students obtained HE qualifications at postgraduate level in 2007/08, a decrease of 1% from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 7a)

Key Points - Enrolments (Wales only)

• The total number of HE enrolments at Welsh HEIs stood at 125,540 in 2007/08, a decrease of 2% from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 1a)

• 78,215 of all enrolments were full-time, an increase in numbers of 1% since 2006/07. The number of part-time enrolments fell by 7% over the same period. (Ref. Table 1a)

• The number of full-time first year enrolments increased by 2% between 2006/07 and 2007/08, part-time first year enrolments showed no percentage change. (Ref. Table 2a)

• Between 2006/07 and 2007/08, the number of enrolments of UK domiciled students decreased by 4% (from 111,455 to 106,930). The number of all other European Union (EU) domiciled students increased by 9% (from 6,470 to 7,025). Over the same period, the number of Non-EU domiciled students increased by 12% (from 10,310 to 11,585). (Ref. Table 1a)

• In 2007/08, 81% of Welsh domiciled, first year undergraduates studied at Welsh HEIs, the same as in 2006/07. Similarly, in 2007/08, 68% of Welsh domiciled, first year postgraduates studied at Welsh HEIs, compared to 71% in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 4)

Key Points - Qualifications Obtained (Wales only)

• In 2007/08 there were 18,815 first degree graduates compared to 17,630 in 2006/07, an increase of 7%. (Ref. Table 5a)

• Of those gaining a classified first degree in 2007/08, 11% obtained a first class honours award and 45% obtained an upper second class honours award. (Ref. Table 6a)

• 57% of first degree graduates in 2007/08 were women, compared to 58% in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 5a)

• 10,750 students obtained HE qualifications at postgraduate level in 2007/08, showing no percentage change from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 7a)

Key Points - Enrolments (Scotland only)

• The total number of HE enrolments at Scottish HEIs stood at 210,180 in 2007/08, a decrease of 2% from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 1a)

• 149,610 of all enrolments were full-time, a decrease in numbers of 2% since 2006/07. The number of part-time enrolments fell by 3% over the same period. (Ref. Table 1a)

• The number of full-time first year enrolments decreased by 2% between 2006/07 and 2007/08, part-time first year enrolments decreased by 5%. (Ref. Table 2a)

• Between 2006/07 and 2007/08, the number of enrolments of UK domiciled students decreased by 3% (from 182,040 to 176,285). The number of all other European Union (EU) domiciled students increased by 6% (from 11,680 to 12,395). Over the same period, the number of Non-EU domiciled students decreased by 2% (from 21,840 to 21,500). (Ref. Table 1a)

• In 2007/08, 94% of Scottish domiciled, first year undergraduates studied at Scottish HEIs, the same as in 2006/07. Similarly, in 2007/08, 87% of Scottish domiciled, first year postgraduates studied at Scottish HEIs, compared to 88% in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 4)

Key Points - Qualifications Obtained (Scotland only)

• In 2007/08 there were 30,155 first degree graduates compared to 31,005 in 2006/07, a decrease of 3%. (Ref. Table 5a)

• Of those gaining a classified first degree in 2007/08, 16% obtained a first class honours award and 52% obtained an upper second class honours award. (Ref. Table 6a)

• 58% of first degree graduates in 2007/08 were women, compared to 59% in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 5a)

• 8,305 students were awarded HE qualifications at undergraduate level other than at first degree level in 2007/08, compared to 7,495 in 2006/07, an increase of 11%. (Ref. Table 5a)

• 21,400 students obtained HE qualifications at postgraduate level in 2007/08, an increase of 7% from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 7a)

Key Points - Enrolments (Northern Ireland only)

• The total number of HE enrolments at Northern Ireland HEIs stood at 48,200 in 2007/08, a decrease of 1% from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 1a)

• 33,740 of all enrolments were full-time, a decrease in numbers of 1% since 2006/07. The number of part-time enrolments fell by 2% over the same period. (Ref. Table 1a)

• The number of full-time first year enrolments increased by 3% between 2006/07 and 2007/08, part-time first year enrolments decreased by 6%. (Ref. Table 2a)

• Between 2006/07 and 2007/08, the number of enrolments of UK domiciled students decreased by 2% (from 43,910 to 43,170). The number of all other European Union (EU) domiciled students increased by 4% (from 3,570 to 3,720). Over the same period, the number of Non-EU domiciled students decreased by 5% (from 1,380 to 1,310). (Ref. Table 1a)

• In 2007/08, 75% of Northern Ireland domiciled, first year undergraduates studied at Northern Ireland HEIs, the same as in 2006/07. Similarly, in 2007/08, 72% of Northern Ireland domiciled, first year postgraduates studied at Northern Ireland HEIs, compared to 71% in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 4)

Key Points - Qualifications Obtained (Northern Ireland only)

• In 2007/08 there were 8,240 first degree graduates compared to 8,250 in 2006/07, showing no percentage change. (Ref. Table 5a)

• Of those gaining a classified first degree in 2007/08, 13% obtained a first class honours award and 52% obtained an upper second class honours award. (Ref. Table 6a)

• 61% of first degree graduates in 2007/08 were women, compared to 62% in 2006/07. (Ref. Table 5a)

• 3,545 students obtained HE qualifications at postgraduate level in 2007/08, a decrease of 1% from 2006/07. (Ref. Table 7a)

Tables

Download all tables (xls)

None of the tables presented should be interpreted without reference to the Notes to Editors and Definitions provided below.

Notes to Editors

1. The data presented in this SFR is based on the 2007/08 HESA Student Record. The statistics in this SFR are derived by HESA from data collected from all publicly funded HEIs in the UK (including The Open University - see definition 5) and from 2004/05 onwards from The University of Buckingham, which is privately funded. The figures therefore exclude HE enrolments and qualifications obtained by students at further education colleges and at other private and independent HE colleges.

   The 2007/08 data for HE enrolments in further education colleges in the UK is not included in this SFR, however it will be published in Table 0 of the HESA publication, Higher Education Statistics for the UK, in September 2009.

2. The specification of the HESA Standard Registration Population has changed for 2007/08 enrolments. Writing-up and sabbatical students are now excluded from this population where they were previously included in published enrolment data. In order to maintain time series accuracy, all data for 2003/04 to 2006/07 has been run using the 2007/08 definition of the Standard Registration Population (excluding writing-up and sabbatical students). As a result, enrolment data will not match other published HESA data for the years 2003/04 to 2006/07.

   The table below shows writing-up and sabbatical student enrolments for the years 2005/06 to 2007/08 split by location of institution.

   	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
   England HEIs	41,585	45,140	37,805
   Wales HEIs	3,520	3,535	3,695
   Scotland HEIs	7,990	7,970	7,245
   Northern Ireland HEIs	1,780	1,470	1,075
   Total all HEIs	54,875	58,110	49,825

3. The field ‘gender' has changed to be consistent with the MIAP common data definitions coding frame. Students of ‘indeterminate gender' are now included in total figures but not in separate breakdowns. 'Indeterminate' means unable to be classified as either male or female and is not related in any way to trans-gender.

4. Students with a domicile of ‘UK unknown' have been included in total figures but not in separate breakdowns.

5. First degree qualifiers with a classification of ‘not applicable' have been included in total figures but not in separate breakdowns. These qualifiers are also not included in percentage calculations.

6. The figures presented in this SFR include all qualifications submitted to HESA by a reporting deadline, however this deadline has changed over the years. Details of reporting schedules are given in earlier versions of this SFR. These changes are not thought to have affected the number of qualifications reported.

7. As a consequence of a problem identified with data submitted by an institution in 2004/05, a number of students were not returned as first years although included in the all year figure. The error affected data only for the 2004/05 academic year and was corrected for 2005/06. However as a result, the increase in first year enrolments between 2004/05 and 2005/06 appears greater than in reality, particularly in respect of undergraduate entrants. More detail about this anomalous reporting can be found in SFR 107.

   In 2006/07 an institution in Scotland misreported a number of awards (1295) as ordinary degrees, showing in the tables as unclassified awards. This should be taken into account when looking at time series in Table 6.

   In 2006/07 an institution in Northern Ireland reported a number (955) of unknown domiciles, mostly on short credit bearing courses within their Open Learning Programme. Consequently the number of Northern Ireland students in Northern Ireland institutions may be under-reported by this amount.

   In the years 2004/05 to 2006/07, an institution in Scotland misreported a number of part-time students as taught postgraduate when they should have been classified as undergraduate. As a result, taught postgraduate figures in Table 5a may be over-reported for the years 2004/05 to 2006/07.

8. Foundation degrees have not been introduced in Scotland. As numbers of foundation degree students in Wales and Northern Ireland are small, these are not separately reported in the text of this SFR.

9. The 2007/08 figures in this SFR are provisional; the data presented is as reported to HESA by HEIs.

10. A statistical reference volume ‘Students in Higher Education Institutions, 2007/08' setting out more information about students in higher education in the UK will be published by HESA in Spring 2009.

11. For the purposes of Table 4, ‘England HEIs' does not include data for The Open University. Data for this institution is shown separately and included in total figures. For all other tables, The Open University is included within ‘England HEIs'.

12. The qualification acronym ‘PGCE’ has traditionally been understood to stand for ‘Post-Graduate Certificate in Education’. However, the academic level of PGCE courses does vary. In April 2005 the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education issued guidance in relation to the Framework for HE Qualifications, which introduced a distinction between those PGCEs pitched at a level equivalent to the final year of an undergraduate Honours degree and those pitched beyond Honours level. The existing postgraduate level qualification was augmented by a new undergraduate level version, entitled the ‘Professional Graduate Certificate in Education’. This change was reflected in the HESA Student Record from 2007/08. For purposes of time-series in this SFR, within Tables 5 and 5a where PGCEs are shown separately both postgraduate and undergraduate versions are included. Where the level of study disaggregation does not show PGCEs separately, ‘Postgraduate Certificates in Education’ are included in ‘Postgraduate’ totals and ‘Professional Graduate Certificates in Education’ are included in ‘Other undergraduate’ totals.

Definitions

1. Higher education

   Higher education students are those students on courses that are of a standard that is higher than the Advanced Level of the General Certificate of Education, the Higher Grade of the Scottish Certificate of Education, GNVQ/NVQ level 3 or the BTEC or SCOTVEC National Certificate/Diploma.

2. Level of study/qualification obtained

   Postgraduate programmes of study are those leading to higher degrees, diplomas and certificates (including Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and professional qualifications) and usually require that entrants are already qualified to degree level (i.e. already qualified at level 6 of the QCA National Qualifications Framework).

   First degree includes first degrees with or without eligibility to register to practice with a health or social care or veterinary statutory regulatory body, first degrees with qualified teacher status (QTS)/registration with the General Teaching Council (GTC), enhanced first degrees, first degrees obtained concurrently with a diploma and intercalated first degrees.

   Foundation degrees were first introduced in September 2001. They are vocational higher education qualifications and are at level 5 of the QCA National Qualifications Framework.

   Other undergraduate includes qualification aims below degree level, such as foundation degrees, diplomas in HE with eligibility to register to practice with a Health or Social Care regulatory body, Higher National Diploma (HND), Higher National Certificate (HNC), Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE), Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE), foundation courses at HE level, NVQ/SVQ levels 4 and 5, post-degree diplomas and certificates at undergraduate level, professional qualifications at undergraduate level, other undergraduate diplomas and certificates including post registration health and social care courses, other formal HE qualifications of less than degree standard, institutional undergraduate credit and no formal undergraduate qualifications.

3. Mode of study - enrolments

   Full-time students are those normally required to attend an institution for periods amounting to at least 24 weeks within the year of study, on thick or thin sandwich courses, and those on a study-related year out of their institution. During that time students are normally expected to undertake periods of study, tuition or work experience which amount to an average of at least 21 hours per week.

   Part-time students are those recorded as studying part-time, or studying full-time on courses lasting less than 24 weeks, on block release, or studying during the evenings only.

   Mode of study - qualifications obtained

   Full-time students are those whose study was recorded as full-time (described as above), including sandwich students. Awards from dormant status and those writing-up theses are also included where a student's mode of study was previously full-time.

   Part-time students are those whose study was recorded as part-time, or studying full-time on courses lasting less than 24 weeks, on block release, or studying during the evenings. Awards from dormant status, those writing-up theses and on sabbatical are also included where a student's mode of study was previously part-time.

4. Domicile

   UK domiciled students are those whose normal residence is in the UK, and for the purposes of this publication include Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man. (Officially, the Crown Dependencies of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK or the EU).

   GB domiciled students are those normally resident in England, Scotland and Wales.

   On 1 May 2004 ten new countries joined the EU and on 1 January 2007 two additional countries joined; the 2004 and 2007 accession countries, and these are listed below. Up to 2003/04, the 2004 accession countries are included in the ‘Non-EU' category in the tables; as from 2004/05 these countries are included in the ‘Other EU' category. In the same way, up to 2006/07 the 2007 accession countries are included in the ‘Non-EU' category in the tables; as from 2007/08 these countries are included in the ‘Other EU' category.

   The table below illustrates the position regarding student enrolments in HE using HESA standard definitions. The brackets indicate the figures for the 2004 and 2007 accession countries prior to their inclusion on 1 May 2004 and 1 January 2007 respectively.

   	2003/04	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08
   EU countries excluding UK	84,250	93,995	99,985	105,410	112,150
   of which
   EU countries prior to 1 May 2004	84,250	83,170	83,715	83,560	89,305
   EU 2004 accession countries	(6,875)	10,825	16,275	21,850	20,415
   EU 2007 accession countries	(1,050)	(1,050)	(1,120)	(1,295)	2,430

   2004 accession countries: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

   2007 accession countries: Romania, Bulgaria

5. Location of institution

   The allocation of an institution to a geographical region is done by reference to the administrative centre of that institution. There may be students registered at institutions who are studying in regions other than that of the administrative centre of the institution.

   The Open University is counted as a wholly English institution. The administrative centre is located in England, although The Open University teaches throughout the UK.

6. Classification of first degrees

   The classification of an undergraduate degree indicates the qualification class that the student obtained. Certain qualifications obtained at first degree level are not subject to classification of the award, notably medical and general degrees. These, together with ordinary degrees and aegrotat qualifications have been included within the unclassified category. Third class honours, fourth class honours and the pass category have been aggregated. Lower second and undivided second class honours have been aggregated. The percentage calculations included in this SFR are expressed excluding unclassified first degrees from the denominator.

7. First year

   First year students are based on the HESA standard registration population who commenced their instance in the reporting period relevant to the data collection year. The term 'instance' is used to describe a student's engagement with the institution aiming towards the award of a qualification(s) or credit.

8. Age

   Age is as at 31 August within the relevant academic year.

   In the text and tables the figures presented are rounded, 0, 1 and 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down, to the nearest 5. Percentages are calculated on the base data and are suppressed if they are calculated on a population which contains 52 or fewer individuals. These cases are represented as '..'.

   Press enquiries should be directed to the Press office at the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), 95 Promenade, Cheltenham, GL50 1HZ: Tel: 01242 211120. General enquiries about the data contained within this SFR should be addressed to James McLaren, Information Provision Manager, HESA (at the same address): Telephone: 01242 211133.

ENDS