University students facing course 'cold spots' as enrolments fall

Certain university courses are becoming increasingly scarce in some regions of the UK, leading to what analysts are calling "cold spots" for students. A new data analysis indicates that some subjects are no longer accessible to students in specific areas as enrollments decline.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) published a data tool on Tuesday revealing a significant drop in the number of students taking French and other language courses in recent years. Conversely, courses such as artificial intelligence have seen a surge in popularity during the same period.

Universities facing financial pressures have been cutting courses with low enrollment numbers. This comes as the government has announced yearly tuition fee increases to help universities manage budget shortfalls.

Hesa's data shows a steep decline in full-time French studies students, from 9,700 in the 2012/13 academic year to just 3,700 in 2023/24. Language and area studies also experienced a decrease, falling from 125,900 to 80,100 students over the same period. German and Scandinavian course enrollments also dropped significantly, from 3,900 in 2012/13 to 1,400 in 2023/24.

In contrast, artificial intelligence studies have seen explosive growth. Full-time student numbers in AI courses were at 1,800 in 2012/13, dipped to 900 the following year, but then dramatically increased to 9,100 in 2023/24.

Universities are cutting courses and staff positions in departments with low student numbers as they struggle with financial deficits. Last November, students and lecturers protested the University of Nottingham's decision to suspend its modern languages and music courses, with no new students to be enrolled after 2026. While BBC News reached out to the university, a spokesperson previously stated that the courses were "unsustainable," with many having fewer than 10 students enrolled. They added that no final decision had been made but that current students would be supported to complete their studies.

Emma Walkers, modern languages course leader at Bilborough Sixth Form College in Nottingham, expressed concern that there would be no local university options for her students to study languages if the cuts proceed. Hesa's data indicates that French degree courses are becoming concentrated in London, Oxford, Bristol, and Bath, leaving students who prefer to live at home and commute with limited options. Walkers notes that moving to more expensive cities like London or Bath presents a significant financial burden for students from less affluent families.

Walkers believes the decline in language course enrollment suggests that languages are simply not valued. Catherine Richards, principal at East Norfolk Sixth Form College, argues that the issue begins much earlier, with fewer languages being offered at the GCSE level, leading to fewer students pursuing them at A-levels and then at university. She notes that German course entry levels are so low in her region that it's no longer a viable language, which she finds regrettable given the quality of teachers in the area.

Prof René Koglbauer, former languages teacher and chair of trustees of the Association for Language Learning (ALL), shares these concerns. He fears that the absence of language provision at the university level could lead schools and sixth form colleges to discontinue A-level language courses. He warns of a "downward spiral" where students may decide not to take a subject at GCSE if they cannot progress beyond that level.

Koglbauer notes that many universities now offer "ab initio" undergraduate language courses for beginners, which has helped boost uptake. He says that these intensive programs, along with joint honors options and the introduction of non-European languages, are part of a strategy to maintain the popularity of language learning. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. he suggests that universities may need to collaborate and pool resources to address the regional "cold spots" effectively.