The economic and social benefits for part-time students

A report on the findings from phase 1 will be published in spring 2006. Phase 2 fieldwork is currently underway.

For further information on this project, please contact Cathie Hammond.

This is a collaborative programme of mixed-methods research between Birkbeck, University of London, the Open University and WBL. The purpose of this project is to examine the economic and social outcomes for part-time mature students who studied at Birkbeck College and the Open University. Of particular interest are the following research questions:

  1. Who are the part-time and mature students?
  2. Why do such students attend Birkbeck and the Open University?
  3. What are the self-reported benefits of such study?

Although these questions are descriptive in nature, they can help to address more fundamental issues of education policy, particularly the balance of provision and funding between part-time and full-time students, and between students who register straight after A Level and mature learners. There are also important issues in relation to the nature of advice and guidance for part-time and mature students and in relation to pedagogy and curricula.

The project has the following three linked stages:

We have completed the phase 1 analysis and phase 2 fieldwork is in progress.