| New research from the University and Colleges Union | | | | The data also follows figures published last month |
| (UCU) has highlighted that there were nearly four | | | | which showed that the number of 16 to 24 year olds |
| million UK adults in further education between 2008 | | | | not in education, employment, or training had reached |
| and 2009 - a figure that has no doubt increased with | | | | one million. |
| the burst of enrolments to universities and colleges in | | | | In response, the Department of Business, Innovation |
| September due to the recession. Yet the statistics | | | | and Skills issued an unspecific statement about their |
| for younger people are not quite as positive, leading | | | | commitment to achieve a world-class skills base by |
| to widespread criticism of the UK education sector | | | | 2020, and having the necessary 'challenging targets' in |
| by the British press. | | | | place. So what part could distance learning play in |
| UK newspapers such as The Guardian and The | | | | meeting our education targets? |
| Telegraph have both seemingly taken the side of the | | | | In basic terms, 2010 looks fairly exciting, with the |
| UCU by highlighting the words of their general | | | | breadth of distance learning degree courses set to |
| secretary, Sally Hunt, who urged the government 'to | | | | diversify even more and increasing market |
| face up to the fact that we cannot remain a | | | | competition giving more opportunity to anyone who |
| first-world country with third-world levels of | | | | is considering learning from home. Additionally, social |
| participation in education.' | | | | media is set to become more integrated with online |
| In terms of rankings the UK has now been | | | | education as the shift towards 'anytime, anyplace |
| overtaken by Portugal, Slovakia and Hungary - and | | | | learning' becomes more prevalent alongside the |
| now sits in the 'relegation zone' at 26th place after | | | | accessibility of the necessary technology such as |
| being ranked 19 out of 30 OECD countries in 1995. | | | | laptops and smart phones. |