Tertiary institutions in the UK have pledge to amend their lecture schedules to permit students to combine their studies with work, in an effort to tackle financial struggles among students due to rising cost of living.
Several Universities have begun the implementation of compact lecture calendars, meant to squeeze lectures and conferences schedules, rather than the former lecture hours, which were spread over the course of the week.
According to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), two-thirds of new students have considered working a part-time job to make ends meet. As at 2021, 34% of students combined studies with works, it increased to 45% in 2022, and stands at 50% in 2023.
Moreover, the new compact lecture schedules were piloted on over 50% of courses in De Montfort University in Leicestershire last year, and would be implemented on all courses in the coming semester.
“The change allows for more compact timetables and this sits round students’ lives better. A lot of students are working and have other responsibilities, and it makes organization of that easier.
“We had great feedback last year from students. Internal surveys show that those on the block-teaching timetable were about 10% happier than those not doing it.”
Prof Katie Normington, Vice-Chancellor of De Montfort University.
Additionally, the new compact lecture schedules will benefit commuter students who opt to live at guardians’ homes because of growing housing and living expenses.
“Students with a Leicester or Leicestershire postcode rose from 42 to 47% last year. If they are travelling in to campus, it is easier and cheaper to do that a couple of times a week rather than four or five times for an hour here and there.”
Prof Katie Normington, Vice-Chancellor of De Montfort University.
Students at Sunderland, London campuses of Anglia Ruskin universities, and the University of Law, have been added to two-to-three-day teaching timetable.
“The model is entirely down to the cost of living issue. Barking and Dagenham is the poorest borough of London. People rely on having part-time work and their income is basically maintenance loan and part-time work. We have seen it more and more over the last two years or so. People just will not have access to courses unless it is built alongside their ability to work. Some people are working nearly five days a week and studying with us the rest of the time.
“It’s not so much a part-time job as a full-time one. Their dedication is amazing. We have our graduation ceremony every year at the O2 and it’s just phenomenal the amount of work people put in to get there.”
John Dishman, pro-vice-chancellor and CEO of CU Group.
According to Advance HE and Higher Education Policy Institute’s (HEPI) survey, over 75% of 10,000 surveyed students claimed that, financial struggles impacted their academic performances, and also they considered dropping out of school.
“The increase in the proportion of students who feel compelled to do so many hours of paid employment that their studies may suffer is a particularly acute challenge. Those in power should urgently look afresh at the maintenance support on offer to undergraduates.
“The universities minister said recently that a fee rise was ‘just not going to happen’ because families were already facing cost pressures. But it is not the fees that are the problem to students in relation to cost of living. What affects them is rising rent and the prices in the supermarket and if ministers really cared about that, they’d be raising maintenance loans.”
Nick Hillman, Director of HEPI.
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