Progression to Higher Education
The Leitch Review observed that participation in higher education has increased significantly over the last decade so that around 42 per cent of young people now participate in higher education, driving a welcome increase in the proportion of highly skilled workers. It noted too that access to university is extremely inequitable, and that the correlation between the chances of going to university and parental income has strengthened in recent years.
However, research commissioned in 2008 by Universities for the North East (see below for report) suggests that the participation rate for the North East remains relatively static at 25 per cent. This therefore provides a significant challenge for the region and for professionals engaged in the 4-19 agenda.
