Short, preparatory 'foundation year' courses have exploded in popularity in recent years, but they have drawn criticism from policymakers. Like Access diplomas, they serve to support people from all backgrounds to enter higher education. This HEPI Report asks whether foundation years are effective tools for widening access -- or whether, when it…

Introduction: Enabling education programs, otherwise known as Foundation Studies or Preparatory programs, provide pathways for students typically under-represented in higher education. Students in Enabling programs often face distinct challenges in their induction to academic culture which can implicate them in cases of misconduct. This case study…

Host country education can be crucial for the social integration as well as labour market outcomes of refugees and asylum seekers. To meet the same admission criteria for studying at German higher education institutions (HEI) as other international student applicants, refugees and asylum seekers can attend pre-study programmes at preparatory…

An ever-increasing trend of early foreign language teaching requires adequate responses to the university training of future kindergarten teachers. However, research in this area, including policies, suggests that the situation is not entirely satisfactory. This paper aims to determine the level of preparation of future teachers for teaching…

This study aimed to investigate the blended teaching readiness of the EFL instructors (N = 102) employed in an English preparatory school of a state university in Istanbul, Turkey. The study also aimed to explore the perceptions of the instructors about blended teaching practices. The quantitative data was collected from the Blended Teaching…

Preparation for university studies is key to enabling adult refugees and asylum seekers to reestablish their educational and professional careers in the host country. While refugees' transition to higher education (HE) is embedded in multiple transitions regarding social position, educational career, and migration, related identities may compete.…

The understanding of the relationships between pattern recognition and mathematical abilities is important for students in their learning of mathematics and mathematics teachers in the design of their teaching pedagogies. This study examines the connections between pattern recognition and mathematical abilities of students from four Singapore…

It is well documented that students of all ages tend to rely on inefficient study strategies. In a departure from the accustomed reactive strategy-training approach found in university settings, this study took a novel approach focusing on students at an earlier stage in their education. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of early preparatory…

It is known that first-year retention rates are a cause for concern within higher education. One way in which to tackle this is to consider how institutions can best prepare new students for the transition to university. The current paper details a project from the University of the West of Scotland where first year psychology students enrolled on…

This dissertation evaluates the effects of three development interventions on female education in Afghanistan: (1) effects of foreign military withdrawal on females' demand for higher education; (2) impacts of PEZAK, a community-driven university entrance preparation, on student enrollment and performance in tertiary education; and (3) long-term…

Immersive scheduling engages students in one or two subjects at a time over short teaching periods. While there is incipient evidence that immersive delivery can heighten academic outcomes in undergraduate education, much less is known about its effectiveness in pathways or access programs. This exploratory mixed-methods study investigated how a…

Research on the career trajectories of doctoral recipients often assumes that all PhD students begin in roughly the same starting position. Consequently, the impact of pre-programme experiences remains understudied. This qualitative study draws on 59 interviews with PhD students studying in mainland China and Hong Kong to explore the influence of…

This case study, conducted at a Palestinian university, explored the language learning strategies employed by learners of English as a foreign language and the relationship with proficiency. Furthermore, since gender is often considered a major variable in learning success in some areas of the world, the study wished to explore the role of gender…

This study aimed to: (1) identify vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) employed by Turkish EFL learners; and (2) determine whether the use of VLSs varies by gender. To achieve these aims, the "vocabulary learning strategies scale" developed by Kocaman and Kizilkaya Cumaoglu (2014) was administered to preparatory school students (n=209)…

Career decision-making difficulties are the challenges encountered by individuals before, during, or after choosing one's career. This study tested the associations between career decision-making difficulties and depression, anxiety, and stress, considering the career decision status of participants. Students in a precollege preparatory program…