Final presentation for Guardian Study Postgraduate Focus event (16th July 2015).

1. 1
Postgraduate
Focus Seminar
2015

2. 2
The research methodology

3. 3
9%
International
Scotland - 8%
N.Ireland - 3%
North East - 3%
East Midlands - 8%
North West - 10%
Midlands - 9%
Wales - 4%
South West - 10%
South East - 16%
London - 12%
East of England - 12%
1015 respondents
91%
UK

4. 4
Postgraduate funding1

5. 5
Funding - were you aware of the changes?

6. 6
78%
disagreed
Why do you think this is?

7. 7
“At my Uni, there
hasn't been any
information
distributed to my
knowledge about the
changes. It could
encourage more to
apply.”
“Make all
undergraduate students
aware of the new
measures through
university methods - eg.
sending emails, talks
about it.”
“The media and Government
should have worked together
on promoting this, it would
have redeemed some of the
damage done from raising
undergrad fees. Universities
should be making us aware -
holding more talks on this and
making students aware at any
opportunity.”
“A lot! I don't know
anything about them,
and I read the news
daily. Info could be
passed on through uni
as well, but as far as
I'm aware it hasn't
been”
“I feel that there needs to be
information talks/ open
days for each course which
fully go through all aspects
of the funding available.”

8. 8
How might better communication have affected your decision?
59%
of students who weren’t
planning on doing a
postgraduate degree would
reconsider their choice based
on the new funding
measures

9. 9
When and why2

10. 10
30%
before university
12%
first year
24%
second year
22%
third year
Most students start thinking about postgraduate study before
university

11. 11
Why2

12. 12
83%
Interested in
the course
subject
71%
To enhance
my job
prospects
Why are students planning to undertake a postgraduate degree?

13. 13
U.K. employment of full-time leavers from U.K. HEI 2013/14:of
full-time leavers from U.K. HEI 2013/14:

14. 14
Profiling: Guardian Undergraduates vs. Postgraduates

15. 15
Undergraduate
degree
£37,528
Postgraduate
degree
£46,712

16. 16
Undergraduate
degree
Postgraduate
degree
£37,528 £46,712
Guardian Postgrads are 2x more likely to get to
the top of their careers than Guardian Undergrads
Guardian Postgraduates are 6% more likely
to be promoted in their roles than Guardian
undergrads
Guardian Postgrads are 15% more likely to be
happy in their roles than Guardian undergrads

17. 17
75%
Want to start
their career
Why are students not planning to
undertake a postgraduate degree?
70%
Want to earn
money

18. 18
Retention of current undergraduate
students
Impact of international study
3

19. 19
What you told us? “Funding. This will
become an even bigger
issue for us when
HEFCE introduce PG
loans (it's most likely
these will not be
portable and therefore
students won't be able
to use them at Scottish
universities).”
“Reputation issues and
poor credibility as a
whole in professional
development . Our own
course leads don't
encourage current UG
to PG”
“Lack of cultural
capital - families and
peer groups often have
limited knowledge of
and experience of PG
study and there isn’t a
culture of progression”
“Financial implications
encourage students to
find work after their
undergraduate degree
and potentially come
back to study a
postgrad course in a
couple of years.”
“We are a low ranking
HEI and so people tend
to wish to 'upgrade' at
Masters level. Also,
non-London students
may well return to
their home town and
study at a local HEI to
have cheaper or free
rent”

20. 20
54% of those who
have applied have chosen
to apply to study a
postgraduate course at
their current university
Surveyed Universities
expect 22% of those
going on to postgraduate
study to stay at their
current institution

21. 21
16%Of those who have
applied plan to study
their postgraduate
degree
internationally
International study

22. 22
Where are they applying?
33% 8%17%17%

23. 23
42%
for personal
development
67%
to attend a new
university
58%
due to course
offered
Motivations for moving abroad:

24. 24
Half of core Guardian global readers would consider
relocating to the UK to study
42% of our US
audience would
consider relocating
to the UK to study
1 in 5 of our European
audience would consider
relocating to the UK to
study

25. 25
• More communication of funding changes
• Strategies to focus on influencing decision making
at earlier stage
• Highlighting value of postgraduate study via a
Guardian audience
• Global brand positioning vital for successful HEI
Summary