Framing higher education: questions and responses in the British Social Attitudes survey, 1983–2010

Abstract

This article focuses on questions and attitudes towards higher education in the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey series. First, we analyse the changing BSA questions in the context of key policy reports. Our results show that changes in the framing of higher education questions correspond with changes in the macro-discourse of higher education policies. Second, we focus on the 2010 BSA survey responses to investigate how attitudes towards higher education are related to respondents' characteristics. Respondents' socio-economic position predicts attitudes towards higher education. Graduates and professionals are most likely to support a reduction in higher education opportunities, but those who have so far benefitted least from higher education are supportive of expansion. One interpretation -with potential implications for social mobility -is that those who have already benefited from higher education are most inclined to pull the ladder up behind them.

Graduate views on access to higher education: is it really a case of pulling up the ladder?

“…It would therefore seem, contrary to the suggestion advanced by Mountford-Zimdars et al (2013), that any explanation regarding graduate attitudes to expanding or widening access to HE must revolve around more than a simple desire to 'pull up the ladder'. The very nature of HE has changed dramatically, and its new role as a mass provider must inevitably influence student experiences and perceptions.…”

“…The approach favoured by Mountford-Zimdars et al (2013) does not fully utilise the responses to the question 'Opportunities for young people in Britain to go on to higher education -to a university or college -should be [increased/reduced/are about right]'. Rather than merely allowing for a tertiary response (increase, decrease or maintain the status quo), we use a fivepoint ordinal scale in which responses can range from 'higher education opportunities should be reduced a lot' to 'higher education opportunities should be increased a lot'.…”

“…Moreover, they will continue to do so. As Mountford-Zimdars et al conceded in their closing comments, the suggestion that those who have already benefited from HE are now 'most inclined to pull the ladder up behind them' represents just 'one interpretation' of the situation (Mountford-Zimdars et al 2013). With this in mind, we now turn to our methodology.…”

“…Gorard (2013) and Mountford-Zimdars, Jones, Sullivan and Heath (2013) have been especially notable in casting doubt on the contention. By examining the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey, Mountford-Zimdars et al unearthed thought-provoking evidence that graduates in particular might oppose the continued expansion of access to HE.…”

Geographical stratification and the role of the state in access to higher education in contemporary China

“…Access to higher education opportunities is shaped by stratifiers such as social class, gender and ethnicity (for example, Mountford-Zimdars et al 2013;Boliver 2015).…”