In a recent statement, David Hughes, the Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Association of Colleges, claimed that colleges are a vital element for the quality of higher education in the country.
These comments came days after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson turned to universities in the United Kingdom, saying they should become better, and strive for excellence. Mr. Williamson emphasized on the fact that students from disadvantaged areas are increasingly less likely to go to university because of the high costs of education.
According to recent research released by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) pupils from the most advantaged areas of the country are more than two and a half times more likely to pursue a degree, than those from the most disadvantaged areas.
Higher education in the United Kingdom
Higher education in the United Kingdom has been a standard for the rest of the world for centuries. It is no surprise that the best university in the world, according to the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, is the University of Oxford.
However, despite its fame and recognition, tertiary education in the UK is witnessing serious problems in the past several years.
The most concerning of these problems is the gap between the number of students going to higher education in advantaged and disadvantaged areas of the country.
In his recent commentary, Mr. Hughes expressed his delight with the fact that the government is actively looking into ways to boost access to higher education in the United Kingdom.
Some of the latest advice from the Education Secretary is for universities to start working on programs, which will be available to a bigger number of students. Mr. Williamson explained that the educational system should be equally welcoming to all students, regardless of their social background, race, or upbringing.
