Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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Equality in Higher Education
Funding for teaching in universities is being cut by up to 80% and funding for arts, humanities
and social science subjects will be cut completely. Women will be disproportionately affected
by the changes to HE funding as there are more women than men studying the courses that
have lost their funding (arts, humanities and social sciences). 73 Courses that are more likely to
be studied by men (science, technology, engineering and mathematics –STEM courses) have
had their funding protected. The cut to funding to the UKRC, 74 will also have an impact. 75 (See
Article 11 for more information)
Disabled students experience discrimination in HE, due to barriers such as inaccessible
information and physical structures, as well as lack of funding and support. 76 Non-disabled
people are twice as likely to have studied at HE as disabled people 77 and only 11% of working age
disabled people hold a degree-level qualification, compared to 22% of working age non-disabled
people. 78 In 2009-10, of the 959,060 people who entered into HE, only 7% were disabled
learners. 79 (See Appendix: 36 for further information)
Tuition fees
To replace the cuts in funding, from September 2012, universities in England have been able to
increase tuition fees to up to £9,000 per year. This controversial policy, which led to student
protests, is taking place in the context of deep and widespread budget cuts to institutions’
teaching budgets. UCAS applicant numbers give an early indication of the impact of the fees on
student numbers 80 and students from disadvantaged backgrounds were much more likely to be
put off HE by increased fees, according to one poll. 81
More than 40% of female students are over 25 years old compared to 36.7% of male students 82
and the number of applications from mature students has fallen sharply. In October 2011, there
was a 27.8% reduction in applications from the over-40s. Women with children are particularly
likely to be affected as 60% of students with children have considered leaving their course as
a result of difficulties to do with finances, childcare and inflexible course arrangements. Any
further cuts to childcare funding, nursery provision, and support services at institutions, will lead
to student parents leaving their courses as they struggle to cope. 83
While the drop in women’s applications has somewhat equalised with the drop in men’s
73. Equality Challenge Unit (2010) Equality in Higher Education: Statistical report 2010, p.86. www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/equality-in-hestats-10
74. Haines, E (2011) ‘Funding for the UKRC for women in STEM’, Vitae website, 13th February 2011 http://www.vitae.ac.uk/
researchers/502241-349561/Funding-for-the-UKRC-for-Women-in-STEM.html
75. Women’s Budget Group (2011) The Impact on Women of the Budget 2011. WBG: London http://wbg.org.uk/RRB_Reports_7_282363355.pdf
76. Collinson, C., Dunne, L. and Woolhouse, C. (2011) ‘Re-visioning Disability and Dyslexia Down the Camera Lens: interpretations of
representations on UK university websites and in a UK government guidance paper’. Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 1, No. 15, pp. 1 - 15.
77. Grewal, I., Joy, S., Lewis, J., Swales, K. and Woodfield, K. (2002) Disabled for Life: attitudes towards, and experiences of, disability in Britain,
DWP Research Report, No. 173. http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/173summ.asp
78. Office for National Statistics (2008) Labour Force Survey, Quarter 2, 2008. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/method-quality/
specific/labour-market/labour-market-statistics/index.html
79. Papworth Trust (2011) Disability in the United Kingdom 2011: Facts and Figures http://www.papworth.org.uk/downloads/factsandfigures_
disabilityintheuk_july2011_110721132605.pdf
80. Kershaw, A. (2012) ‘New student numbers fall as fees rise’, The Independent, 9th July 2012 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/
education-news/new-student-numbers-fall-as-fees-rise-7924586.html
81. Million+ (2010) Fair, Progressive and Good Value? An assessment of the impact of the Coalition Government’s proposals for the reform of
higher education funding in England on graduates, the taxpayer and social mobility. p.7 www.londecon.co.uk/le/publications/pdf/Fair%20
Progressive%20and%20Good%20Value%20Final%20Report.pdf
82. Equality Challenge Unit (2010) Equality in Higher Education: Statistical report 2010 www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/equality-in-he-stats-10 p.
124.
83. NUS Women’s Campaign http://nussl.ukmsl.net/news/article/womens/809/ Accessed: 25/03/13
94 Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013