August 2003/41
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| To: | Heads of HEFCE-funded higher education institutions Heads of HEFCE-funded further education colleges |
| Of interest to those responsible for: | Strategic planning, Funding, Access, Curriculum development |
| Reference: | 2003/41 |
| Publication date: | August 2003 |
| Enquiries to: | Mitchell Pring tel 0117 931 7388 e-mail m.pring@hefce.ac.uk |
Executive summary (read on-line)
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Executive summary
Purpose
1. This document announces the outcome of bids for additional student places and funds for 2003-04.
Key points
2. Each year we allocate additional funded student places in response to competitive bids. The framework for allocating these extra places supports the key national priorities of widening participation in higher education, increasing opportunities for students, increasing vocationally-oriented provision and expanding high quality in learning and teaching. It is designed to enable institutions to respond to changes in student demand, and to employment and regional needs, as well as giving students the opportunity to study at the institution of their choice.
3. Within this framework, we invited bids for 2003-04 that would support particular objectives. These were to:
- deliver foundation degrees
- develop the new degree programme in social work education and training
- include places for summer schools and foundation years
- support New Technology Institutes
- develop University for industry (Ufi) activity.
We particularly encouraged collaborative bids to support regional developments and to widen participation.
4. All student numbers in this report are expressed as headcounts unless otherwise stated.
5. We invited bids from all higher education institutions (HEIs) and further education colleges (FECs) that we fund directly. We received 228 bids, of which 190 were from HEIs and 38 from FECs. They sought a total of 39,321 additional places: 6,984 at sub-degree level, 8,759 at foundation degree level and 23,578 at other degree level and above. Of the total, 19,538 were for full-time and 19,783 for part-time places.
6. We have allocated for 2003-04 a total of 9,249 new places in the competition: 1,746 at sub-degree level, 2,758 at foundation degree level and 4,745 at other degree level and above. Full-time places were 5,252 of the total, and the remaining 3,997 were for part-time programmes. In addition, we expect growth of 5,184 full-time and 3,335 part-time places from previous competitions. In total, the allocations for 2003-04 will enable higher education provision to increase by 10,436 full-time and 7,332 part-time places. A further 7,868 full-time and 5,459 part-time places allocated in the 2003-04 competition have been phased into future years.
7. Annex A gives details of the allocations to institutions for 2003-04.
Action required
8. No action is required: this report is for information.