University Foundation Year: Challenges, Skills, and Student Success

This report delves into the significance of foundation years within the UK higher education system, emphasizing their role in widening participation among diverse student backgrounds. It explores the advantages of foundation years, including providing foundational knowledge in various subjects, fostering a supportive learning environment, and enhancing students' vocational skills. The report also identifies key challenges faced by foundation year students, such as subject selection limitations, time flexibility issues, and language barriers. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of developing essential study skills like time management, effective learning strategies, and language proficiency to overcome these challenges. By addressing these aspects, the report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of foundation years and their impact on student success.

Report
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Importance of the foundation year for the students from wide participation backgrounds.........3
Key Challenges faced by foundation year students.....................................................................4
Important Study skills in higher education that can help the students to overcome the
challenges in foundation year......................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion based on the discussed matter above........................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Wide participation is a higher education component in the education policy of
government of UK and Europe. It is a process of increasing the number of young people to enter
higher education and also the people from lower income families, disabilities and other
minorities. This report is based on the importance of foundation year for the students from wide
participation in UK and mentions the extent of its importance. The report includes the challenges
being faced by the students in foundation year during their education. The report will also
include the importance of study skills in higher education to overcome the challenges faced in
foundation year by the students and adapt better learning as that of all the regular students in the
university.
MAIN BODY
Importance of the foundation year for the students from wide participation backgrounds
Foundation year refers to be a learning year for the students to enter a higher education in
a university, who do not have enough qualifications to enter into a degree. The basic overview of
variety of subjects in a degree are been studied at foundation year as from social studies,
business management to biological science and sports therapy(Tavlaridis and Gibson, 2017). The
courses offered are relevant and broad enough to learn the basics and introduction of the subject
as well as depth knowledge is been provided by expert tutors to increase the vocational skills that
is very much necessary for higher education students.
Foundation year creates and offers a supportive environment for the students those who
have gaps in completing their education or those who want to attain the higher education which
they could not complete before due to some circumstances. This make the students to initiate a
fresh start for the education or subject they want to pursue in degree(Richardson, 2015). It gives
a basic understanding and a deep knowledge of a particular chosen subject so that the students
are completely sure and confident enough to pursue further knowledge in that subject and be
aware of their learning capabilities.
The course offered in foundation year not only provides the depth knowledge to the
students but also helps them to improve their skills and learning that is required in their degree
course as well as drive their confidence so that they can progress into first year

degree(McCutcheon and et.al., 2015). It creates a perception that once a student successfully
completes his foundation year, he can make immediately and more clearly top the degree course.
There is an amount of awkwardness in the higher aged students to sit along with the
teenagers, but foundation year drives their confidence and make them loose this thing so that
they see no difference in the age groups and successfully complete their degree. It can be
observed that more than 50% of population in the university of Bedfordshire is aged over 21.
Thus, it can be said that foundation year provides the best opportunity ton mix up with the people
that the students meet in real life.
The foundation year is linked with the degree that the student will opt further in his
higher education. The students will be taught by expert tutors from the degree and also will be
provided plenty of support to understand the foundation course as well as set of actions required
to reach the required standard(Gil-Glazer, 2019). This will make the students understand the
complete knowledge of their subject that they will pursue in their degree course and make them
clear about their career goals and opportunities further by rising confidence in them. Hence, it
can be observed that foundation year makes the students be aware and have the knowledge of
basics and clear their mindset so that they have the crystal clear idea of what they want to be and
what leanings will make them achieve that.
Key Challenges faced by foundation year students
There are number of key challenges being faced by the foundation year students to pursue
their education and cope up with the degree course. The main thing arises with the choosing of
the subjects in the course. In order to acquire admission in the course the students those who
have taken gaps in education are required to have experience and passion in that particular
subject which they are opting for, further looking at the students profile then universities decide
and select the student's eligibility for the course and the subject area(Galindo and et.al, 2016).
This restricts the students for opting the other subjects win which they have interests due to lack
of experience or knowledge about it and makes them select the only subject which are available
to them as per their profile.
The another challenge comprises the time flexibility in the foundation course offerings.
The time can be full time for one year or part-time for two years that may create confusion for
the students to opt the course(Douglas and et.al., 2015). The timings maybe on days, evenings or
weekend which in turn may not match with the working students as they have to choose between

their work priority of course learning that creates a barrier for the students in pursuing a
foundation course. Mainly the middle income group of students face this difficulty as they have
to manage their job and the study both at a time, and they face the challenge of course timings
and work timings.
The another challenges being faced by the various students is the language barriers for
those students that are migrated form different countries and want to opt for foundation course in
UK. Mainly the foundation year courses are been offered in English language but many of the
migrants are less used to or understanding of this language which makes it difficult for them to
understand the learning or acquire knowledge from course offerings. The language barriers tuns
out to be a big challenge for the students as it is the basic medium of understanding the subject
which restrains them to match the standard skills required for degree course as well as acquire
better learning and offerings from foundation year courses(Davies and et.al., 2016). Other
challenges arises in choosing the courses that may incur the value for money and best offering to
the students. Students may not be aware fort the course or have knowledge behind choosing a
particular subject which may or may not benefit them in the future. So this creates a confusion
and a challenge for the students to choose different courses as per their money's worth.
Important Study skills in higher education that can help the students to overcome the challenges
in foundation year
In order to pursue the higher education, increase a knowledge of subject, acquire new
skills or gain a qualification, one must have the advantage of various study skills that will help a
student to achieve all these components with ease. Development of study skills not only help the
students to boost their confidence and succeed in gaining knowledge from course offerings but
also make the students work effectively in the available time to study. However, development of
these skills is a long term process of an individual mainly for those students those who have gaps
in their education, new to the higher education or currently working in an organization and wants
to complete the higher education(Becker and et.al., 2017). There are various basic skills that are
necessary for the students to initiate effective learning from foundation course such as writing
skills, communication, presentation skills etc.
The main study skill that a student can develop is the time management skill and the skill
to develop learning strategies. Time management skill will enable the student to manage the time

with the work and the studies(Schneiderand Preckel, 2017). It will create a schedule for the
students to allocate particular time to various tasks and which will help them to get the time
available for the studies. Students have to be particular with the management of time and find out
the time for studies and academics so that they can overcome the challenge of time flexibility of
foundation year. It can also help the students further while pursuing their course as well as in
higher education to manage the time efficiently for rising up their grades(Tomlinson, 2017).
The another skill will include acquiring the knowledge and understanding of the subject
from online tutorials and references in order to enhance the depth knowledge for the subject
which will help them to be get eligible for the course(Assiter, 2017). This will not only enhance
their knowledge regarding the subject but also make their eligibility criteria and better
experience regarding that subject so that they can be admitted in the university without any
complications. This skill helps to overcome the challenge of eligibility criteria in case of
foundation year for the students.
The remaining study skill comprises the learning of different languages especially the top
international languages which will make them having no hesitation in pursuing their higher
education through foundation year(Arkorful and Abaidoo, 2015). This study skill of learning the
languages will also remove the language barrier from pursuing the higher education by migrated
students from different countries. This skill will not only overcome the language barrier
challenge but also help the students to effective learning of their subjects as well as will help
them in future during their job placements and in corporate world.
CONCLUSION
Conclusion based on the discussed matter above
From the above discussion it can be observed that the foundation course includes certain
objectives and conditions that is to be considered while matching the student skills and
capabilities in higher education. It consists of modifying the competent knowledge and
understanding in the field of technical and professional skills that will help them in the future for
opting the employment in different sectors through these skills. It can be commonly observed
that the studies are important part and necessary for any employment services but also the
professional skills serve as the major important contribution for the same(Travers, 2015). The
students entering the foundation year has to come up with higher professional skills which can

fulfill their eligibility criteria and make them acquire the higher education in respective subjects
as well as accomplish their career goals and objectives.
The report discussed different challenges and the barriers the students faces during their
foundation course which make them unstable in opting the course. The challenges included
mainly related to time, language and eligibility which are most commonly faced by the students
opting for foundation course. It has been specifically observed the effect of these barriers on the
student's personal and academic life and how it creates hurdles for them while pursuing the
foundation year.
In case of foundation it can also be observed that the time management is the key skill for
any process or activity related to study or work. It is the one that makes an individual to deal
with the various day to day tasks and manage all the activities along with his academics and
career goals. Time management will also provide the self motivation and confidence to the
individual in managing the activities and various aspects that might create barrier and challenges
in his education and help him to continue the studies with ease. This will further help them to be
more productive and efficient enough to work in the organizations as well as develop a talent of
multitasking in them which will help them to manage the different activities at their workplace.
The report also explained the importance of language learning skills that will help the
students to understand the various languages and also create more opportunities and options for
the migrant students in which they can select their desired universities and also understand the
teachings and course they have opted with an ease.

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