A growing number of Scots feel that although universities provide positive experiences, they aren't the best career option for everyone.

A new study by King’s College London's (KCL), titled "Still worth it?", found that nine in 10 UK university graduates would go to university again if given the choice.

However, four in 10 (39%) said that they would choose to study a different subject, 30% said that they don’t feel their university degree helped them increase their job prospects, and 38% said getting a university degree isn’t worth the time and money that it requires.

And while 69% of parents across the UK said that university degrees should be valued for their own sake and not just for job prospects, opinion was split over whether parents prefer their children to go to university (40%) or do an apprenticeship (48%).

Bobby Duffy, Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Policy Institute at KCL, said these apparent contradictions illustrate a growing belief that university isn’t the right choice for everyone and that alternative pathways—college, vocational qualifications, and apprenticeships—should be more accessible.

“Our research shows that university is great and better thought of than some of the political rhetoric suggests, but that doesn’t mean that it is right for everyone.”

Scottish respondents produced views similar to those of the UK-wide group. Prof Duffy sees this as indicative of the strength of opinion, given the differences in how universities are funded and how student fees are structured across the home nations.

He said that the survey results don’t mean that people are keen to reduce university access, however. In fact, only 15% of Scottish respondents said that university placements should be decreased, with 50% saying they are at the right level and 35% saying they should be increased.

Rather, Prof Duffy said the results show that parents, graduates and young people feel that university should be just one of the options available and that other opportunities need to be more accessible.

“I think it is the case that we have significantly undervalued, underweighted and underdelivered on that broader vocational training for people with different skills and different career paths in mind.”

According to the KCL survey, 81% of Scottish respondents said that opportunities for young people to go into apprenticeships need to be increased, consistent with the 76% who said the same across the UK.

These calls for more university alternatives were reflected in responses to other questions about the strengths and weaknesses of different educational pathways.

Scottish respondents said vocational education left students better-prepared to adjust to life at work and to changes in the job market over their careers. Most said there was little difference in how likely university or vocational students are to get good jobs, be financially stable or be happy with their lives.

Graduates and parents of young people said that universities and vocational programmes have an equal responsibility for preparing students to go on to their careers through practical education and work experiences.

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And while 55% said that they felt a university degree was helpful for landing a good job after graduation, only 30% said that it was necessary.

“People have different things that they emphasise, but definitely a major motivation for university is helping you in your career and parents and the public’s view is that universities should be doing that,” Prof Duffy said.

Among the other points of emphasis are the intangible aspects of university life, which Prof Duffy said researchers categorised as “big picture” contributions that universities make nationally and locally. 

These proved to be the biggest drivers of opinion for respondents, with most positive opinions based on the overall benefit that universities provide for students and their futures, and negative opinions mostly based on the costs associated with university degrees and concerns about mismanagement (52% in Scotland said that they felt university leaders were overpaid for the jobs that they do).

The study also asked about the ongoing funding concerns for universities across the UK and Scotland specifically, driven by changes in public investment and declines in the international student population.

In light of these conditions, Scottish respondents indicated an interest in different funding approaches. There was an almost even split between respondents who believe the government should pay university fees “even if this means higher taxes or spending cuts elsewhere” (35%) and those who said the government and students should pay an equal share (34%).

And when asked whether funding to sustain university teaching and research should be based on higher tax revenue or increased contributions from university graduates, 41% said graduates should contribute more once they are benefitting from their university experiences.

Claire McPherson, director of Universities Scotland, said that number of graduates who reflected positively on their university experience serves as an endorsement of the “skills, knowledge and experience they received at university.”

“This feedback from graduates reinforces employer perspectives from a different survey last summer, which found that more than three-quarters of business leaders see university as key to ensuring graduates have the transferable skills which are crucial to Scottish industry.

She also referenced the Withers Report, an independent investigation into Scotland’s post-school skill delivery and said the KCL survey reemphasises the need to end the “false dichotomy between vocational and academic” education.

“It is an outdated view of things, and it helps no-one.

“A university degree offers students multiple opportunities for work-based or work-related learning and hands-on, practical experiences as well as a depth of subject knowledge and additional skills such as critical thinking, which enables graduates to adapt to whatever the world of work throws at them.”

Alison Wolf, Professor of Public Sector Management at KCL, said that the survey results can hopefully provide a guide for politicians.

“University finances are an increasing worry just when governments are facing ever-growing demands for expenditure in multiple areas, along with slow growth, high debt, and demographic challenges.

“The public understands the value of universities and graduates are positive about the experience, but there is evidence here of growing scepticism about some of what universities do and whether they alone are enough.

“People do not see them as the most important priority for education spending: our findings confirm and build on other evidence that support for apprenticeships ranks higher.

“All of this will, inevitably, feed into government decisions and underlines the need to think hard about how – not whether – our university system should develop and change.”