A Review of Higher Education Participation in 2003

This analysis of new entrants to higher education in Ireland in the Autumn of 2003 shows that the participation rate has passed the 50% mark for the first time. The admission rate (i.e. new entrants to higher education as a percentage of 17-19 year olds) grew from 44% in 1998 to 54% in 2003. The general trend of enhanced equality of access since 1980 has been maintained. In particular, the participation rate of some of the lower groups, particularly skilled manual, semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers, and other non-manual workers appears to have increased substantially. The participation rate for other groups, higher professionals, lower professionals, employers and managers and salaried and intermediate non-manual employees appear to have declined somewhat. The changes in participation rates reflect the increasing shares of these groups in the population age group. However, the report also finds that the share of new entrants from these latter categories has remained relatively constant.