College chief predicts rise in home study

Full-time university tuition fees are expected to more than double as a result of the Browne Review which has called on the Government to scrap the current cap of 3,290.

The chief executive of a Yorkshire-based education charity which delivers arts degrees believes this change could transform the higher education sector opening up the market to private providers and making part-time, distance learning more attractive to potential students.

The Open College of the Arts (OCA) is based in Barnsley but its students do not flock to a campus in the South Yorkshire town. Instead the college offers people across the country the chance to earn qualifications in fine arts, photography and creative writing through part-time, distance learning.

The average fee for completing their degree courses is 4,500 - less than one year of full-time study is expected to cost at university if the Government implements the Browne Review's recommendations.

The OCA's chief executive Gareth Dent told the Yorkshire Post that flexible part-time study was a more effective way of teaching creative subjects than doing a full-time courses over a set three-year period.

He also believes that allowing more students to work to a flexible timetable will cut the numbers of people who drop out of higher education and that the expansion of the internet now means distance learners can feel like part of a student community.

Mr Dent said: "We are seeing a major transformation of the way education is organised at a higher level.

"It is slightly naive to think that three years is the only time period in which you can assimilate the level of understanding and knowledge you need to earn a degree.

"In the creative arts what we aim to develop is a student's personal voice.

Artistic students benefit from a flexible way of learning rather than having to focus their work intensively over what becomes a three-year hurdle race.

"We also offer our students a one-to-one relationship with a practitioner in their subject area."

OCA student Victoria Rahm said the college's model of study allowed her to balance her work with a full time job as an office administrator.

She said: "There are times when I can devote several hours a week to studying, and others when work has to take priority. With OCA, I'm in the driving seat, knowing that my tutor will be keeping an eye on me to make sure I pick up my studies again where I left off."

Mr Dent predicts that with full-time students now expected to be face annual fees of more than 6,000, part-time study will become increasingly popular – both with existing universities and new private providers.

Bradford University is looking to increase its numbers of part-time learners with the creation of a new study route called the Bradford Way. Students on the new programme complete around two-thirds of the work done each year on a full-time degree course.

The university's deputy vice chancellor Geoff Layer said: "The Bradford Way allows students to complete a degree quicker than the traditional part-time route, while still having time for part-time work or responsibilities such as caring for family.

"These sort of flexible study routes are likely to spring up across the country as universities have to adapt to real changes in the way students are financed, and many may wish to work to reduce the burden of increasing debt.

"In creating the Bradford Way we were very much ahead of the curve which I think is testament to our approach in widening access to talented individuals from all walks of life."

Mr Dent said the recommendations of the Browne Review presented the higher education sector with an opportunity to change the way degrees are delivered and paid for.

However he was critical of the Government's decision to withdraw state funding for the teaching of arts and humanities subjects at universities.

The Browne Review has marked out the way for tuition fees to rise by calling for the cap to be scrapped and allowing universities to charge what they like for their courses.

This report was followed by Chancellor George Osborne announcing cuts of almost 3bn to university teaching budgets in the comprehensive spending review.

This 40 per cent cut in funding for teaching over the next four years means that only science, technology, engineering and maths-based (Stem) subjects will continue to be funded by the Government.

As a result universities are expected to need to more than double their fees in order to receive the same level of income which they currently get from the Government.

Mr Dent said: "To only protect funding for the Stem subjects is insane.

"Take the example of a company such as Apple.

"The reason they are successful is you have people with technical expertise working alongside creatives.

"It is that mix which has made them such a major success."