Traditional universities in the UK are under serious pressure at
the moment. A recent paper from the Institute for Public
Policy Research describes how an "avalanche" is
threatening their very existence. Access for All released this month by the
Strategic Society Centre provides an analysis of how the cost of
applying to university negatively affects UK undergraduate student
applications. There are three key challenges which universities
must respond to in order recruit students, and crucially, retain
them:
1. Disruption of the market from alternative
providers
Government policy is to promote new forms of higher
education providers, including for-profit enterprises; this
increases competition, particularly in niche areas. Distance and
online learning is a growing force. Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) have reached a tipping point and their influence will only
grow in the market-place as they begin to compete with the
'normal' degree.
