Geographic Inequalities and Access to Higher Education: Is the Proximity to Higher Education Institution Associated with
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Geographic Inequalities and Access to Higher Education: Is the Proximity to Higher Education Institution Associated with the Probability of Attendance in England? Peter M. White1 · David M. Lee1 Received: 25 August 2017 © The Author(s) 2019
Abstract The relationship between geography and the selection of university is well documented and suggests that a student’s location substantially limits their choice of institution. However, there are few studies investigating the interplay between geography and the decision to attend university, particularly in the UK. This study aims to establish if distance to university is associated with the probability of enrolling in higher education in England and forms the quantitative half of a mixed-methods study on the subject. An ordinal logistic regression analysis of HESA enrollment data, which controls for deprivation, is employed. The investigation uses average direct measures of distance between each census area and university campus in England to determine the relationship between distance and enrollment. The findings suggest that geographical distance to university has a negative association with university enrollment. Students within the 10 km measure had a significantly increased odds of enrolling at university than students in the 40 km and above category (odds ratio 10.89; 95% CI 1–2), when controlling for deprivation and population density. It is hoped that the findings of this research will help to raise awareness of geographical inequalities and inform policy on university access. Keywords Access to higher education · Geographical inequalities · Distance · University enrollment
Introduction This study aims to investigate the interplay between geography and higher education enrollment, so that access to university may be understood in greater depth.
* Peter M. White [email protected] 1
Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6GX, UK
13
Vol.:(0123456789)
Research in Higher Education
This research project addresses the following research question: Is distance to university associated with the probability of university enrollment in England?1 There continue to be a substantial minority of students who are denied access to university, generation after generation. Not because they lack skill or strengths but because they have no opportunity. Evidence and awareness of the socio-economic and ethnic inequalities in access to university is well documented (Anders 2012; Boliver 2013; Engberg and Wolniak 2018; Flores and Shepherd 2014; Mangan et al. 2010). However, the potential barrier of distance is rarely discussed and poorly understood in England. Access to higher education is essential for facilitating social mobility and developing a workforce that is highly skilled and able to adapt. In the UK, calculations of the additional wages a graduate earns over a lifetime range between £160,000 and £400,000 (approx. $200,000–$500,000 USD) (Chitty 2014; Singleton 2010). Fair access to the labour market is predicated on fair access to higher educat
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