Student mobility across the UK s internal borders Linda Croxford, David Raffe and Susan Whittaker SERA 19 November 2014
Cross-border flows: overview Study in another home country of UK Main focus on FT 1 st degree students entering HEIs in 2012, in or from Scotland Analysis of HESA data Questions: 1. Why is the issue important? 2. What are the main patterns and trends? 3. Which types of students cross borders? 4. Do fee differentials have an impact? 5. Post-Referendum issues
1. Why are cross-border flows important? Educational benefits for students and institutions Raising issues of equal access to those benefits Implications for resources, and sustainability of (diverging) funding arrangements May be influenced by (past or future) devolution (and/or independence) Help to define boundaries of HE systems Raising questions of national autonomy And of social citizenship
2. What are the main patterns and trends?
Stayers and movers: UK-domiciled entrants to FT 1st degree courses, 2012 (thousands) Country of study Country of domicile England Wales N Ireland Scotland England 279.1 8.7 0.2 3.7 Wales 6.6 10.8 * 0.1 N Ireland 2.7 0.1 8.9 0.9 Scotland 1.2 0.05 * 26.9
Asymmetry: % of movers, by country of domicile/study Movers out: % of students domiciled in country Movers in: % of UK students studying in country England 4 4 Wales 38 45 N Ireland 30 3 Scotland 5 15 7% of all UK-domiciled FTFD students are movers England has lowest proportion of movers-out and movers-in BUT 95% of movers move into or out of England (How well does Union settlement manage the resulting tensions?)
% 60 50 % of movers-out, by country of domicile by year of entry (full-time 1st degree entrants) English regions (average) Wales 40 30 N Ireland 20 Scotland 10 England 0 1996 2004 2010 2011 2012
% 60 % of movers-in, by country of institution and year of entry (full-time 1st degree entrants) 50 English regions (average) 40 Wales 30 Scotland 20 England 10 N Ireland 0 1996 2004 2010 2011 2012
Domicile of entrants, by year: Scotland 1996 2004 2010 2011 2012 % % % % % Scotland 72 72 69 69 68 RUK 19 15 12 12 12 Other EU 5 7 10 11 11 Overseas 5 6 8 9 9
Domicile of entrants, by sector: Scotland, 2012 Ancient Old New (post- 92) Other HEI Total % % % % % Scotland 51 72 81 73 68 RUK 22 11 4 14 12 Other EU 14 9 10 7 11 Overseas 14 8 5 5 9
Domicile of entrants, by subject area: Med & vet Scotland, 2012 Allied to med Sciences Eng & tech Soc sci & law % % % % % % Scotland 57 83 69 69 70 58 RUK 24 8 12 6 7 25 Other EU 3 6 13 12 12 10 Overseas 17 3 5 13 11 7 Arts
Summary: What are the main patterns and trends? Large country differences England is least affected but has by far the most impact on flows into/out of the other countries Scotland less affected than Wales or NI: closer to English level despite population difference Decline over time but uneven RUK now outnumbered by other EU and overseas Cross-border flows are associated with particular subjects and institution types Especially flows into Scotland, and increasingly over time
3. Which types of students cross borders?
Characteristics of stayers and movers: Scotland 2012 Scotland: all ages Movers in Stayers Movers out Female 58 58 55 Aged 21+ 9 25 23 Ethnic minority 11 7 12 Scotland: under 21 Movers in Stayers Movers out Parent has HE qual [% of 75 66 82 known] Higher managerial and 37 28 46 professional Working class 13 20 10 Independent school 29 10 53 Top attainment quintile 41 19 33 Lowest attain t quintile 7 19 24
Characteristics predicting under-21 movers, by domicile England E (region) Wales N Ireland Scotland Female ns - ns + ns Ethnic minority - - + + + Low participation area - - - ns ns Social class (high) + + + + + Independent school + + + + + Attainment (high) ᴖ + + ᴗ ᴗ Subjects +/- +/- +/- +/- +/-
4. Do fee differentials have an impact? Scotland: increasing fee differential since 2000 May help to explain slight decline in movers-out (from low base) No strong effect on characteristics of movers-out Welsh natural experiment 2007-2009 Associated with slight dip in movers-out No strong effect on characteristics of movers-out 2012 fee rises: comparison Sco, NI v Eng, Wales Small decline in movers-out of Scotland Little impact on characteristics of movers (except slightly stronger independent-school effect)
5. Post-referendum issues: Equity and rights With widening participation high on the agenda, is it of concern that the benefits of cross-border study are unequally spread? Is the basis for social citizenship, and for defining equal rights, Scotland, the UK or the EU? Scottish widening participation interventions and measures mainly focus on Scottish domiciles and on Scottish HE. Is this sufficient?
Coordinating HE policies Cross-border flows are an example of the interdependence of HE systems Managing these flows is critical, but requires policy coordination among the UK nations This is made difficult by the imbalance of power and interest, illustrated by cross-border flows Has the UK partnership provided adequate arrangements for policy coordination?