Figures reveal growing student gender gap

THE GENDER gap among students in higher education has reached a record high, new figures show.

Around 55 per cent of women were in higher education in 2015/16, while men were 12 percentage points behind, on 43 per cent.

It is the third year in a row that the gap has widened, according to estimates from the Department for Education. Overall, the figures suggest that 49.3 per cent of 17 to 30-year-olds in England were in higher education in 2015/16 – the highest since current records began in 2006/07. The numbers also show a rise in secondary school leavers entering higher education, with more than a quarter of 18-year-olds starting courses in 2015/16.

Universities Minister Jo Johnson, said: “These statistics show the numbers of students are continuing to rise and adds further evidence that the Government’s reforms to widen participation in our world-class higher education sector are working.

“Young people recognise hat degrees gained from UK universities can lead to rewarding and well-paid jobs – this is why more people are going to university than ever before, including record numbers of 18-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“We continue to improve the university system to ensure that students get value for money and are creating a new regulator, the Office for Students, to hold universities to account for teaching quality and student outcomes through the Teaching Excellence Framework.”