A Comparison of Part‐time Higher Education Provision and Participation Rates in the UK: Implications for the Development of Provision in Northern Ireland

Abstract

Most studies of higher education participation rates have been primarily concerned with the numbers of full‐time students most of whom have progressed into higher education soon after leaving secondary school or full‐time further education. This paper seeks to compare part‐time provision and participation levels in Northern Ireland with that in other parts of the UK. The pattern which emerges is that part‐time participation rates in Northern Ireland do not appear markedly different to those in other parts of the UK. However there are distinctive features in the pattern of provision. Compared with Scotland, a much higher proportion of part‐time HE in Northern Ireland takes place within the universities. It is argued that these differences should be considered when examining options for tackling the under‐supply of HE places in Northern Ireland which are identified in the Northern Ireland Appendix to the Dearing Report.