WIREDGOV

A report published by HEFCE gives comprehensive information for the first time about the destinations of students studying for higher education (HE) qualifications registered at HEFCE-funded further education colleges (FECs) Notes 1 and 3.

FECs are making an increasingly significant contribution to English higher education, and HEFCE’s analysis is an important step in understanding this. In 2010-11, just under 60,000 undergraduates were registered at 124 HEFCE-funded further education colleges Note 2, almost half of the undergraduates taught at FECs in England Note 3. Until now, we have known little about the next career steps taken by these students.

The information in the report draws on responses to the ‘Higher Education in Further Education: Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ (HE in FE DLHE) survey, focussing on responses made by students who completed their studies in 2010-11. It provides a comparison to findings published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) relating to the destinations of students registered at higher education institutions (HEIs) Note 4. It compares HE qualifiers registered at FECs with those registered at HEIs, both franchised and non-franchised.  Comparisons are also made with qualifiers included in the HE in FE DLHE surveys for 2009-10 and 2008-09.

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