Introduction
In recent years, universities have faced increasing pressure to treat their degrees as products to be consumed rather than providing a gateway to academia. This shift in focus has created an unfortunate situation where students feel more pressure to view their degree as a solution to advance their careers. However, there are barriers within the curriculum that may prevent them from reaching their goals.
The question is, are researchers' messages being effectively conveyed to the student community? We must examine how we communicate with students and ensure we provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. By doing so, we can help students achieve their full potential and make the most of their educational opportunities.
Changes in the Degree Market
The higher education market constantly evolves, with multiple institutions competing to attract the next crop of students. While demographic factors have always influenced the barriers and opportunities for students, a new difference in student identity has emerged. In response, universities have undergone transformations to appeal to their home student audience, but there still needs to be a communication barrier between universities and students.
As universities seek more students, they also want students who understand what it means to be a university student. Meanwhile, students seek guidance in defining their motivations and next career steps. Bridging this communication gap is essential to ensure that universities and students benefit from higher education.
Recent research has focused on the interaction between universities and students, particularly how students perceive the value of their degrees. According to one study, students view tuition fees as a purchase value for their degrees rather than considering the underlying financial complexities. This emphasis on the offer from universities can cause a focus on productivity and performance, leading to competition for numbers among institutions.
What's in your degree? Your University Experience
In the UK and in other countries such as the USA and Australia, which have various forms of student loan systems, these loans are not all created the same; some are regulated by the state and more akin to a tax (the UK System), whilst others are treated more like a general loan such as the case with the private loans (USA). The system of paying for education in this way has caused the degree to be recognised more as a product or investment for the student, resulting in higher expectations of their degree.
However, whilst students pursue their degrees with similar expectations, not all of these degrees offer the same thing, even if they have the same title. This difference is understood as the student progresses through their studies and explores the discipline in more detail, but this self-reflection can lead to the student perceiving these differences as disadvantages when there are more differences in degree type and institutional purpose.
Institutions and Industry
When choosing a university, students can opt for Russell Group (research-focused) or post-1992 (pedagogically-focused) universities. Research-focused institutions offer a wealth of expertise and insights into students' potential areas of interest. They allow students to learn more about their lecturer's or researchers' work and gain valuable experience in a more applied setting through internships, placements, or gap years.
On the other hand, pedagogically-focused universities concentrate more on educational methods and how teaching is applied to a discipline. While some of the lecturers at these universities may have research leanings, most of the staff is often made up of industry professionals turned teachers and academics.
One crucial aspect students should consider is gaining disciplinary experience within their chosen university. Internships, placements, and gap years are great ways for students to gain experience in a more applied setting. However, the type of experience will differ depending on the university, so students must be selective about choosing the right path for their career.
Identifying a career path can be challenging for students who have yet to develop a roadmap. Careers departments and advisors should focus on understanding the student's abstract goals and how they want to work rather than only considering their professional interests or subject specialisms. This is difficult for advisors to provide, but they should prioritise understanding the student's motivations and tailor their recommendations accordingly.
If a student is more interested in an applied focus and a clear picture of a job or career, internships and placements in professional environments are likely more suitable. If a student is more interested in abstract disciplinary focuses, this will encourage internships and placements in environments related to the discipline research or academic-focused opportunities.
Refining academics in an applied sense in either a professional or academic context is hugely beneficial. It highlights a greater range of skills to prospective employers and differentiates students from their peers. When considering prospective universities, students should look at the research areas they focus on, how established they are with industries, which is often highlighted in the scholarships offered, and how the modules are communicated. So if a student's wants are defined by recognising their interests and directing them to a path where they can best refine them, what are the institution's wants?
Universities Adaptation to Changing Conventions
Now, whilst institutions also want what is best for their students and the research or professional interests they support, they also face their own challenges. These institutions need revenue to grow in various areas and continue to go forward. This revenue chiefly comes from students. Institutions also get funding for new buildings or to explore new research areas, but the predominant share of most universities' incomes is student tuition fees. Now, universities have often looked to cast a wide net to attract students to study with them at various levels. For many institutions, this has included international students who pay far more for their fees than home students. This has led to some universities maintaining classes and courses by offsetting the lower fee-paying home student with the higher-paying international student, allowing flexibility in supporting the delivery of sessions. A challenge will likely present itself to some of these institutions soon as proposed caps on international student visas will likely impact the institution's ability to balance their budget, leading to changes in delivery and greater pressures to attract the same pool of home students other institutions are competing for. This need to attract more students will likely impact the degree's distinctiveness, potentially resulting in students choosing routes that do not ultimately benefit them rather than having a clear distinction of the student that best suits the institution and vice versa. This is further seen in the challenges institutions face with increasing pressures to focus on a postgraduate and undergraduate community offered by the various institutions to ensure a positive and proactive experience for the student.
Where do we go from here?
Universities face a significant challenge in fostering community among their students. This challenge is compounded by the pressure to change funding models delivery methods, and focus on industry partnerships. To overcome this challenge, universities must help students better understand how to differentiate between different types of institutions based on their research and industry links. By doing so, students can identify universities that align with their values and interests. This approach can lead to a stronger sense of identity among students with similar goals and enable universities to reach a wider range of students who share these values. Ultimately, this can help students take that next leap forward into their careers with confidence and success.
References:
Charalambous, M. (2020) ‘Variation in transition to university of life science students: exploring the role of academic and social self-efficacy’, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 44(10), pp. 1419–1432. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2019.1690642.
Charalambous, M., Hodge, J.A. and Ippolito, K. (2021) ‘Statistically significant learning experiences: towards building self-efficacy of undergraduate statistics learners through team-based learning’, Educational Action Research, 29(2), pp. 226–244. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2020.1782240.
Daniels, J. and Brooker, J. (2014) ‘Student identity development in higher education: implications for graduate attributes and work-readiness’, Educational Research, 56(1), pp. 65–76. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2013.874157.