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‘Higher education in England 2014: Analysis of latest shifts and trends’ highlights some of the changes affecting students, courses, and universities and colleges.
Findings outlined in the report [Note 1] in relation to UK and EU students at publicly funded universities and colleges include:

• Confirmation of a strong recovery in the numbers of students entering full-time undergraduate courses in 2013-14. This is 27,000 more than in 2012-13, an increase of 8 per cent.
• But full-time undergraduate modern foreign language entrant numbers are in decline. Numbers of entrants to full-time modern foreign language first degrees fell by 22 per cent (1,200) between 2010-11 and 2012-13, with UCAS data suggesting that this decline is continuing in 2013-14. However, modern foreign languages were the most popular subjects in 2012-13 for UK students pursuing their studies in France and Germany.
• High-achieving A-level students tend to progress to university or college irrespective of the subjects they study, but students with lower grades are more likely to progress if they have studied ‘facilitating subjects’ [Note 2]. At A-level grades EEE, 60 per cent of those that have three facilitating subjects at A-level go on to higher education, compared to 42 per cent of those that have none.
• The number of students on undergraduate courses other than first degrees [Note 3] is in significant decline. This group makes up 60 per cent of the dip in numbers of entrants to full-time undergraduate courses in 2012-13. 
• Numbers of part-time undergraduate entrants fell by 93,000 between 2010-11 and 2012-13. Entrants to undergraduate courses other than first degrees made up 91 per cent of the decline.
• There were 23,000 fewer part-time postgraduate entrants in 2012-13 compared to 2010-11. Of these, 18,600 (84 per cent) were studying education and related subjects.
• Wider international comparisons show that between 2010 and 2011 part-time enrolments declined in around half of the OECD [Note 4] countries for which data are available. Analysis of data on higher education part-time enrolments in England and other OECD countries, suggest that changes in part-time education are connected to a mix of economic and policy factors that have played out differently in different countries.
• As a result of the decline in undergraduate courses other than first degrees, in 2012-13 there were just 14,000 full-time entrants to such courses taught in higher education institutions, compared with 25,000 taught in further education colleges. There is also data showing that 18,000 students from England and the EU who are accessing student support were enrolled on HND courses at alternative providers in 2012-13.

The report also covers:

• Differences in entry to higher education by gender, by whether students are young or mature, and by ethnicity.
• Overall undergraduate and postgraduate student trends.
• Differences in entry to higher education between students from more advantaged and less advantaged areas.
• Latest trends in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
• Shifts in where students are studying.
• Latest trends in research and knowledge exchange, and the financial health of higher education institutions.

Professor Madeleine Atkins, HEFCE Chief Executive, said:

‘Higher education in England is undergoing significant change. This report draws on a wide range of evidence to provide a robust and authoritative overview of recent developments. Its aim is to spark debate and discussion, and to inform future directions. HEFCE will continue to collect, assure and analyse the evidence in order to expand understanding and inform decision making.’

Notes

1. The publication ‘Higher Education in England 2014: Analysis of latest shifts and trends’ (HEFCE 2014/08) is on the HEFCE web-site. A summary report, ‘Higher Education in England 2014: Key facts’ (HEFCE 2014/08b), is also available.
2. ‘Facilitating subjects’ are mathematics and further mathematics, English literature, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, history, and classical and modern languages.
3. Undergraduate courses other than first degrees include foundation degrees, certificates and diplomas of higher education, HNDs and HNCs, and study for institutional credit.
4. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. More...

HEFCE is fully committed to working with universities, colleges and others to ensure as far as possible that when these changes to the DSA come into effect in 2015-16, those students most in need are properly supported and are able to succeed in their studies and in future employment.
The Government has asked us to review provision and support for disabled students in the higher education sector. We will be doing this over the coming months, working closely with institutions, the NUS, and others.
Read the written ministerial statement on changes to DSA. More...

CEEMAN International Management Teachers Academy (IMTA) provides a unique opportunity for young faculty to develop their curricula, course design, teaching materials and particularly teaching skills and methods. The program is heavily based on the case method, including teaching with cases, case writing, and performance evaluation and feedback to students. It is also designed to improve competences and skills integral to specific managerial disciplines, and provides input essential in other areas of a faculty member's professional life, such as consulting, institution development and administration, and social responsibility.
The exchange of ideas and experience with colleagues from other countries is also an invaluable source of learning, and an effective instrument in establishing professional contacts and networks.
According to post-program feedback received by IMTA participants and their institutions, the effects of the program go far beyond individual professional career development. Its benefits also include an impact on the participants’ institutions and their respective stakeholders. More...

3 - 4 June, 2014Petite
BRIDGE 2014 offers a unique opportunity for European-Russian university networking and a chance to learn more about European-Russian higher education cooperation.
Aims and topics
BRIDGE 2014 will serve as a forum for academic and other specialists to discuss various perspectives on the future of the EU-Russian higher education sector. The seminar will offer excellent opportunities for networking and building collaborative partnerships among Russian and European higher education institutions. BRIDGE 2014 main target audience consists of managers and staff responsible for international cooperation at European and Russian universities.

Program

BRIDGE 2014 aims to offer insights into internationalisation and development trends of the European-Russian higher education sector. The language of the event is English.

“The First Turkish Arab Congress on Higher Education” will be held in Istanbul between the dates April 26^th-28^th, 2014 with the aim of constituting a better cooperation between Turkish and Arab Universities. We are honored to invite you to participate and contribute to our congress which is hosted by Istanbul Medeniyet University and Istanbul University in partnership with the Association of Arab Universities.
Some of the goals of the congress are; sharing information about the recent trends in university education, exploring the current situation of Arab and Turkish Universities, building a better future in university education, and strengthening cooperation between Arab and Turkish Universities. Besides, this organization aims to build cross-national good relations between the contributing countries.
Looking forward to meeting you in one of the most wonderful cities, Istanbul with a rich scientific environment consisting of a pleasant weather, warm hospitality and revitalizing social events.

At the recent EUA Council meeting, held at the Université libre de Bruxelles prior to the EUA Annual Conference on 3 April, a number of important policy issues and developments were discussed including the proposed revision of the European Data Protection legislation. During the meeting, six new institutions were also welcomed as EUA members.
EU Data Protection legislation
In 2012, the European Commission proposed a major reform of the EU legal framework on the protection of personal data. The proposed Data Protection Regulation, which is of particular concern to universities as it covers the use of personal data in research, is currently going through the co-decision process. The European Parliament has recently voted on its amendments to the Commission proposal and the Council of the EU (member states) is expected to define its position later this year. There have been concerns raised by a number of non-commercial research organisations, including universities/university associations, that the European Parliament’s proposed amendments could have a negative impact on research using personal data, including in the area of health.
Following a discussion on the topic, EUA Council members endorsed the statement which is published on the Wellcome Trust website: “Protecting health and scientific research in the Data Protection Regulation (2012/0011(COD)) Position of non-commercial research organisations and academics”. More...

Around 350 university leaders and representatives from the higher education sector gathered last week (3-4 April) for the EUA Annual Conference, hosted by the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in Belgium. The theme of this year’s conference was “Changing Landscapes in Learning and Teaching”.
Presentations from the conference are now available on the conference website. More...

On 3 and 4 April at the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research of the University of Manchester, key stakeholders from universities and research and technology organisations (RTOs) were invited to a focus group to debate the possible future of the European Research Area.
The focus group was organised in the framework of the VERA project (Forward Visions on the European Research Area) funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme. The VERA FP7 research project, run by a consortium of institutes across Europe, had developed four scenarios on the future of European research governance which formed the basis for the workshop debate. More...

At its meeting on 20 March 2014, the EUA Research Policy Working Group (RPWG) gave particular attention to the topic of open access to scientific publications.
The RPWG invited Professor Bernard Rentier – Rector, Université de Liège, Belgium – to share his views and experience. He highlighted the importance of “green” open access to scientific publications (a type of open access), and building strong institutional open access repositories and internal policies for researchers’ self-archiving of publications, as a response to the increasing costs of subscriptions to scientific publications and the need to respect the freedom for researchers to publish in journals of their choice.
The subsequent discussion, which also took account of Horizon 2020 developments, confirmed that key open access issues for universities. More...

CEEMAN, an international management development association, is organising its “International Management Teachers Academy” in Bled, Slovenia, from 8 to 20 June 2014.
The programme targets management educators and looks to provide an “opportunity for young faculty to develop their curricula, course design, teaching materials and particularly teaching skills and methods”.
For more information about the programme, please see the CEEMAN website. More...