Impact case study database

This case study shows the impact of Callender’s research on policies and debate about financial support for part-time undergraduates. Callender drew upon her previous studies (refs. 3,4,5,6), and a substantive new study (ref.1) to raise awareness and understanding of the limitations of the 2012/13 student funding reforms for part-time study, and of the need for further changes to reverse these reform’s unintended consequences. She disseminated her policy critique and possible solutions to policymakers, think-tanks, HE stakeholders, and the media. Callender’s research directly led to improved provision and greater access to part-time study through the relaxation of the eligibility criteria for existing fee loans, the introduction of maintenance loans for part-time students for the first time, and the development of a completely new and innovative policy approach – lifelong learning loans. Policymakers, HE stakeholders, HE Institutions, and part-time students have all benefitted. For instance, the Treasury estimates that 150,000 undergraduates each year, enrolling in over 100 English HEIs, will be helped by the new maintenance loans.

Modifying existing policies

In 2012/13 the government raised part-time undergraduate tuition fees, repaid via student fee loans, with part-timer students qualifying for these loans for the first time. As Callender predicted, 2013 HEFCE data showed that these reforms contributed to substantial falls in part-time enrolments in England. Callender immediately marshalled these and other data, alongside insights from her previous research (refs. 3,4,5,6), arguing that loans’ eligibility criteria were too restrictive, depressing demand.

She met David Willetts, then Minister of State for Universities and Science (10/5/2010-15/7/2014), and his Special Advisor several times. Callender proposed that to improve loan take-up, loan eligibility criteria had to change. Specifically, that loans needed to be extended to part-time students who did not qualify for loans because they already held an Equivalent or Lower Qualification (ELQ). As Willetts testifies ‘ ….Callender’s research was important in helping policy-makers understand it [falling part-time numbers]….. As well as analysing the issue she also engaged with us on possible policy responses. She showed the inter-action with the ELQ rules which meant that many mature students who already had a degree were not eligible for fee loans and were therefore particularly badly affected by the fee increase. As a result I took some steps in late 2013 to broaden the range of disciplines which were exempt from ELQ rules. ( source 1). The policy change, which extended fee loans to part-timers wanting to take a second degree in engineering, technology, and computer science, was announced by Willetts at the Conservative Party Conference (30/9/2013) and came into force on 1 August 2015.

Callender continued gathering the mounting evidence on the deleterious impacts of the 2012/13 reforms on part-time students and part-time provision. To influence the policy agenda, she disseminated these findings alongside policy solutions through think-tanks (e.g. Higher Education Policy Institute ( source 5), BrightBlue, Bridge Group); stakeholder meetings and keynotes at UK and international stakeholder conferences (e.g. Student Loans Company, Social Mobility Commission, Universities UK, NUS, University Alliance, Open University, Universities Association for Lifelong Learning, National Association of Student Money Advisers) ( source 6a,b); articles in the HE (e.g. THE, WonkHE,) and general press (e.g. Guardian, Prospect); media interviews (source 6c,e,f); and academic publications ( source 6d). Her advice was sought, at this stage and later in the policy making process, from international and UK policy advisors.

Callender met Jo Johnson, then Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation (11/5/2015-9/01/2018) and his team on several occasions when she demonstrated that the fall in part-time entrants after the 2012/13 reforms represented an alarming trend. Johnson confirms the importance of Callender’s research in the area. He wanted ‘ to introduce policy changes to mitigate this trend. Professor Callender’s research charted the problem and pointed to solutions. It informed and influenced my Department’s thinking and led directly to two significant changes in policy’ ( source 2): modifying fee loans - an existing policy; and introducing maintenance loans - a new policy.

Johnson continues ‘Firstly, Professor Callender’s research made clear that the eligibility criteria for loans needed to be broadened so more part-time students would benefit from them. Our government used its powers to modify the loans provision and extended the ELQ exemptions.’ ( source 2). On 1 August 2017, fee loans were extended to include part-time students wishing to take a second degree in all STEM subjects.

Introducing a new policy

The Chancellor announced another important policy change in his 2015 Spending Review and Autumn Statement (25/11/2015). ‘ Following a sharp decline in part-time students since 2008, the government will introduce new part-time maintenance loans from 2018-19 to support the cost of living while studying. The government expects 150,000 part-time students could benefit each year by the end of the Parliament’ (HM Treasury, Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, Cm 9162, para.1.183).

Again Johnson, the Minister responsible, confirms the instrumental role of Callender’s research in the creation of this new policy. ‘ Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, as a result of her work on the financial pressures that act as a deterrent to the uptake of part time study, our government introduced new maintenance loans for part time students. This was an important change, not least because it attached an importance to part-time study that had heretofore been overshadowed by the debate around the funding of full time students.’ ( source 2). This policy was introduced on 1 August 2018.

2017/18 HESA data show an upturn in part-time Bachelor degree first year students for the first time since 2012/13. By 2019/20, numbers had increased by 25% from the all-time low in 2016/17.

Influencing an innovative policy approach

The Post-18 Review of Education and Funding chaired by Lord Augar, launched by the then Prime Minister Theresa May in February 2018, was tasked, inter alia, with encouraging more flexible learning and explicitly included part-time study. The Department for Education (DfE) invited evidence from Callender to support the Review. Callender’s submission ( source 7a) drew heavily on her research (ref. 1) as did those submitted by for instance, Birkbeck, the Open University, the University Alliance, the Nuffield Foundation, Education Policy Institute, NUS, Goldsmiths, and others. Callender called for a radical overhaul of part-time student finances.

The DfE also commissioned NatCen Social Research to conduct a study for the Augar Review to assess demand for part-time education among prospective students and how they made educational choices ( source 7b). Callender was appointed the academic consultant for the study.

Callender continued engaging in wide ranging dissemination activities to enhance her research’s (ref.1) impact and to further influence the Review’s outcomes ( source 6). Her 2018 study (refs. 1, 2) was heavily cited and utilised to inform briefings and debates in the House of Lords and the House of Commons ; in oral and written evidence presented to and used by the House of Commons Education Select Committee, the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, the Civic Universities Commission (source 8a,b) and publications from the HESA, OfS, CBI, DfE, think-tanks (e.g. The Resolution Foundation) and other HE stakeholders ( source 8c). Its impact is further substantiated by for instance, the Vice Chancellor of the Open University who when discussing the reach of Callender’s research asserts that it ‘has undoubtedly helped the sector, and the OU, to turn up the dial with the UK government..and press for recognition and policy changes that have so far been made’ ( source 4a).

The Augar Report was published in May 2019 ( source 9). Professor Alison Wolf, a Review member states that ‘ Callender’s work was of great importance to the panel and the single most important source of research and policy analysis for our consideration of part-time higher education... We found Professor Callender’s report The Lost Part-timers...(2018) and the evidence she submitted to the Augar Review to be of particular value. They are cited prominently in the published report, reflecting this influence, and in particular fed directly into our headline recommendations for greater flexibility in the student loan system’ ( source 3). Specifically, Augar proposed lifelong learning loans which would replace existing loans and remove current loans’ perverse incentives by scrapping remaining ELQ restrictions and allowing loans for modular credit-based qualifications, directly as advocated by Callender.

On 29 September 2020, the Prime Minister announced the government would introduce a flexible lifelong learning loan entitlement, as part of its lifetime skills guarantee and wider skills package. The commitment was confirmed in the government’s much delayed ‘interim conclusion’ to Augar, and in the Further Education White Paper, published on 21 January 2021, just after the REF impact deadline. Callender has been invited by the DfE to become involved in the planned consultation on the lifelong learning loan entitlement.