Теория и методика профессионального образования THE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

This article provides an introduction to the Access to Higher Education programme in the United Kingdom, and selectively reviews the research literature about its effectiveness. The programme gives mainly mature students from non-traditional backgrounds the opportunity to enter higher education. The review first describes the origins and nature of the programme, then examines the raw data of the official statistics, before going on to consider both quantitative and qualitative research studies in turn. The more quantitative studies into the programme’s effectiveness paint an inconclusive picture, with mixed evidence about achievement which is often not generalizable. The more qualitative studies which focus on learners’ experiences generate useful insights but are not designed to judge the programme’s overall effectiveness. The review concludes that while the programme has indeed benefited large numbers of students, further research is needed to assess whether any limitations in student achievement are attributable to the design of the programme itself or due to external factors. In a rapidly changing higher education landscape, the future of the programme is unclear.