Mature Student
Experience in HE
Sarah Nwafor
Mature student officer 2012-2013
Antoine Vallatos
Mature student officer 2011-2012
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Outline
1. Mature student Community
2. Mature student Experiences
3. Mature students in Birmingham
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Mature Student Definition
• At least 21 years old when beginning university
• Over 25 years old.
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Mature Students in HE
Some proportion stats:
•429,460 mature ~1/3 of Student body!! (UG)
•More for PGs
•~ 20% of HE students start over 21 (UG)
•UK has the highest proportion in Europe of 25 to
65-year-olds in lifelong learning (UG&PG)
•>10% in almost all Universities ( except 21Unis)
Myth:
“Mature students study only at Birkbeck and
The Open University…”
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Mature Student Community?
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Mature Student Community
Age categories (in literature…):
•Young mature learners, aged between 21-24
years on entry.
•Older mature learners or lifelong learners,
aged over 25 years.
•Third age learners, aged over 50 years
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Mature Student Community
Life experience categories:
•Work-based learners or work-place learners
•Students without previous HE qualification
(89% of UG mature )
•Students with families/kids
•International students
•Part-time students
•(43% of mature UG)
• ….
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Mature Student Community
Life experience categories:
•Work-based learners or work-place learners
•Students without previous HE qualification
(89% of UG mature )
•Students with families/kids
•International students
•Part-time students
(43% of mature UG)
Myth no 1:
“All mature students already have degrees”
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Mature Student Community
Life experience categories:
•Work-based learners or work-place learners
•Students without previous HE qualification
(89% of UG mature )
•Students with families/kids
•International students
•Part-time students
(43% of mature UG)
Myth no 2:
“All mature students are part-time students”
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Mature Student Motivations?
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Mature Student Motivations
Why did you do it?
•Interest in a specific subject
•Way of opening up new career option
•Old personal ambition/dream
•Need to keep on thinking and learning
•Meet new people, new experiences
•Other???
Myth:
Mature students study only vocational subjects
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Mature Student Challenges?
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Mature Student Challenges
• Participation often affected by personal, family
or work circumstances,
• Funding issues
• Retention issues
• Adapting to new techniques
• No Access to childcare
• No adapted national welfare infrastructure,
• Competition environment
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Mature Student Challenges
What do you need to get involved?
• More tailored Social activities
• More Social activities at convenient time
• More encouragement from staff
• More Social activities that don’t involve alcohol
• More interactive course delivery
• More encouragement from students
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Mature Student Challenges
complexity of mature student body
particular issues and challenges
poor representation in HE
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Mature Student Representation?
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Mature Students in Bham Uni
Birmingham University is not an exception…
• Negligence of our particularities
• No serious effort to communicate mature
student until recently (thanks Graduate School)
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Your PMSO officer
Emily, the PMSO officer 2011-2012
•The elected voice for PGTs, PGRs and mature students
in the Guild
•Non-sabbatical position
•Work closely with other Guild Officers, staff, and PGMSA
•Sit on University Council, Graduate School Management
Board and SRSAB
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Your Association:
Main Roles:
•Represent the PG & Mature students
•Campaign for PG & Mature Student interests
•Organise Socials and events to bring together PG & Matures
Membership:
•All 8000 PG and 1500 Mature Students are members (~40%
UoB students)
You are automatically a PGMSA member!!!!19
PGMSA officers 2012-2013:
Chair: Alex Rigos
Treasurer: Chris Wardle
Secretary: Manal Makoshi
Mature Students Officer: Sarah Nwafor
Postgraduate Taught Students Officer: Sukhjit Pooni
Postgraduate Research Students Officer: Karin Diaconu
Welfare & Housing Officer: Caroline Ideus
Communications Officers: Emma Murdoch and Michael Ridley
Campaigns Officer: Sebastian Egerton - Read
Events Officers: Christopher Harris and Parul Punjabi
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Communication & Involvement:
•Weekly PGMSA organisation meetings
•Monthly PGMSA Community open meetings
•Mature Student meetings
•PGMSA Newsletter
•Website (www.pgmsa.org)
•Social media presence (facebook, twitter..)
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PGMSA activity 2011-2012
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Representation
Increased PG representation on Guild Council
• PGMSA presence in the Guild
• + 4 PG councillors
Worked to improve the PGR student rep system:
• Student Representation System Working group
• PGR reps network
Built close relationship with related organisations:
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The Graduate School
Student Parents and Carers Association
International Students Association
National Union of Students
University and College Union
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Campaigns
• Obtained council tax exemption for PhD students in
writing up status
• Supported NUS campaigns for postgraduate and
mature students (cuts, fees, financial injustice,
democratic deficit…)
• Supported UCU campaigns for PGR students
(conditions, salaries, pensions)
• Opposed course closures in the University (Biological
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Recording, Archaeology…)
Events
Screening of ‘The PhD movie’ ~ 300 people
Speed dating event with the Int. Students Association
Weekly socials at the Bratby bar (Every Wednesday!!!!)
Special events: Xmas market, Am. Football & Fireworks,
Bham Beer Fest, Moseley discovery, Bowling…
Supported PGR initiatives as the Cafe PhD events
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First postgraduate and mature student welcome week!
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What about mature students?
The PGMSA is trying to:
Improve mature student representation
– Diffusing related information
– Linking with national campaigns
– Lobbying for a better recognition of the mature student
body.
Improve mature student networking
– Better integration of mature students
– Organising mature coffee meetings socialising
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How to communicate with you?
• Facebook not adapted?
• Network with schools admin?
• Mature contacts within schools (Started)
• Specific mailing list to develop (Started)
• Thread on PGMSA website (Done)
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How to get involved?
• Come to the Open community meetings
• Come to PGMSA events
• Join the newsletter
• Join the facebook group
• Send an e-mail to your Officer
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Mature Student
Experience in HE
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