The government has given itself ten years to achieve 50 per cent participation in higher education. This is the first time it has put a timescale on prime minister Tony Blair's Labour Party conference statement that said he expected 50 per cent of people to have benefited from higher education by the time they are 30.
It is expected that the bulk of the expansion will be achieved through the introduction of two-year foundation or associate degrees. Education secretary David Blunkett is due to announce proposals for the new qualifications in mid-February.