Higher Education: Admissions
6th February 2012
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education to identify barriers to adult students entering higher education by the (a) full-time and (b) part-time mode; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Hayes: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has not had recent discussions with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) about barriers to adult students entering higher education.
In the guidance from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to the Office of Fair Access (OFFA) issued in February 2011, the Government said they wanted to support mature students, that they would like institutions to consider such students within their overall approach to access, and would like OFFA to take account of their efforts in considering their access agreements. For the first time, we are making loans available to part time students to meet tuition costs.
