Nearly 100,000 students enrolled on foundation degrees in 2009 – a 40% increase on 2007.

Foundation degrees are vocational two-year programmes, more employment-focused than traditional honours degrees. They usually do not have specific academic entrance requirements, and can be combined with paid employment.

Professor Derek Longhurst, Chief Executive of Foundation Degree Forward, the industry body which announced the figures, commented:

“These figures highlight the results of a lot of hard work, in partnership with organisations such as the British Chambers of Commerce, to ensure that the development of work-based higher level skills training is driven by the needs of employers and students.”

The news comes on the heels of the Dearing lecture, delivered by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, who used the speech to push for “greater focus on alternative modes of study” rather than the more traditional three-year honours degree. Lord Mandelson advocated both foundation degrees and condensed, two-year honours degrees, and part time courses.

Source: Foundation Degree Forward