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A Sustainable Higher Education Sector: The Place for Mature and Part-Time Students?

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Smart Futures, Challenges of Urbanisation, and Social Sustainability

Abstract

UK higher education continues to see a decline in the number of part-time, mature students. Much of the blame for the decline is attributed to a lack of financial support with many students unwilling to add to their existing financial commitments at a time of significantly declining employer sponsorship. These changes represent a profound social challenge when sustainable UK economic performance needs to be addressed through a boost in productivity, which in turn requires a highly educated workforce. Part-time study provides an invaluable route into higher education for many individuals. However, fitting study around other commitments makes it difficult for many students to fully participate or integrate. In this chapter, we chart the rise and fall of mature and part-time student provision across UK higher education before drawing on our own research to evidence the challenges facing institutions in helping them to develop a sense of belonging, fundamental to student retention and success. In doing so, we highlight the need for greater consideration of both individual academic and social needs at an institutional level to support the determination and high levels of motivation the students demonstrate. We end this chapter by positing a set of practical recommendations designed to support institutions working to support both mature and part-time students and, as a result, a more sustainable higher education sector.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leeds Beckett University, Faculty of Arts, Environment and Technology, Leeds, UK

    Suzanne Richardson

  2. Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield, UK

    Jacqueline Stevenson

Authors
  1. Suzanne Richardson
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  2. Jacqueline Stevenson
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Suffolk, Ipswich, United Kingdom

    Mohammad Dastbaz

  2. Maastricht School of Management and Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Wim Naudé

  3. Leicester School of Architecture, De Montfort University Leicester, School of Architecture, Leicester, United Kingdom

    Jamileh Manoochehri

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Richardson, S., Stevenson, J. (2018). A Sustainable Higher Education Sector: The Place for Mature and Part-Time Students?. In: Dastbaz, M., Naudé, W., Manoochehri, J. (eds) Smart Futures, Challenges of Urbanisation, and Social Sustainability. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74549-7_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74549-7_14

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74548-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74549-7

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