ID059 Meeting the Growing Demand for Flexible PGT Delivery

The Idea

In recent years, demand for flexible delivery of PGT programmes has accelerated globally, driven by shifting student demographics, employment commitments, international market pressures, and new technological expectations. This proposal utilises quantitative and qualitative evidence on this trend and offers recommendations to enable Keele to remain competitive. 

Traditional higher education models (anchored to fixed academic years, face-to-face lectures, and rigid delivery schedules) are increasingly misaligned with the needs of modern PGT students. Many postgraduate learners juggle professional roles, family responsibilities, and geographic constraints that make conventional delivery less accessible. Universities must adapt both delivery and curriculum structures to serve diverse learner needs while sustaining enrolments, meeting market expectations, and maintaining academic quality.  

Our proposal includes expanding online learning options, expanding multiple annual start dates, adopting block timetabling, and embedding flexibility in course design and assessment. 

Why This Idea Should Be Considered

1. Changing Student Preferences and Demographics 
   • HESA data indicates an ageing applicant cohort. Enrolments for PGT students aged 30+ grew by approximately 23% in 2020–21, and subsequent trend analysis shows this age group has remained robust, with older student numbers increasing even as younger cohorts declined post-pandemic. 
   • These shifts reflect broader societal and economic trends: an ageing postgraduate cohort means that many learners balance work, family, and broader responsibilities, making flexibility in timing, pace, and delivery mode essential. 
   • In 2025, a call campaign with Keele undergraduate finalists revealed that one of the top frequently asked questions from our finalists was how PGT courses would fit around their work commitments. Students were keen to receive timetabling details well in advance, specifically which days classes would be scheduled in for. 
2. Growth in Online and Flexible Programmes 
   • Recent industry data shows a clear shift toward flexible and online PGT provision:  
     • The supply of English taught online degree programmes has more than doubled since 2019, reflecting rapid expansion of flexible delivery formats internationally (ICEF).   
     • HESA data indicates a sustained increase in online PGT enrolments, rising from approximately 89,470 in 2022/23 to 93,900 in 2023/24, a 5% growth within a single year. 
3. Multiple Start Dates and Flexible Intakes 
   • Traditional single intake cycles are giving way to more flexible entry models:  
     • Analysis of UK postgraduate distance learning shows that in 2023/24, 51% of distance courses offered two or more start dates, an increase from 42% the previous year (THE)  
     • Pulse data suggests rising interest in January and February intakes among both domestic and international PGT applicants. 46% of international and 34% of UK postgraduate students were searching for early year starts in 2026.  

How We Would Implement This Idea

Offer Evening, Weekend, and Part-Time Options 

Rationale: A substantial portion of PGT students are mature learners/professionals, many of whom balance work/family commitments alongside study. Offering evening and weekend delivery, as well as part-time options for programmes that currently lack them, expands accessibility and aligns provision with market demand. (wonkhe.com)  

Actions: 

• Audit current course offerings to identify programmes lacking part-time modes. 
• Schedule core teaching sessions in evenings or weekends to accommodate employed learners. 

Expand Online Delivery Models  

Rationale: Online delivery enables learners to engage with material asynchronously, removing geographical and scheduling barriers. The rapid expansion of online PGT offerings internationally underscores the market appetite for this mode.  

Action:  

• In lieu of the HEP partnership contract ending in 2027, consider Keele’s current online/blended provision (MSc Biomedical Science/MSc Psychology Conversion) and review whether there is opportunity to copy this model for expansion into other subject areas. 
• Keele’s (non-HEP) online courses are performing well: 
• Biomedical Science (Online) had the largest growth in enrolments within the School of Life Sciences in 2025/6 compared to 2024/5 and has the highest Home enrolments compared to the rest of the School. 
•  Psychology (Conversion) | Online had the largest growth in enrolments within the School of Psychology in 2025/6 compared to 2024/5 and has the highest number of enrolments compared to the rest of the PGT programmes within the school. 

Expand Multiple Start Dates  

Rationale:  Rigid September starts no longer align with global learner preferences. Data shows substantial interest in January starts, with many prospective PGT students actively seeking such options.    

Actions: 

• Review courses that are not currently offering January start dates and create a business case for introduction (There are currently 27 PGT courses at Keele only offering September entry, many of these show good market demand for a January start option) 
• Review courses already recruiting well for January intake and consider further intake dates. 

Implement Block Timetabling and Modular Delivery  

Rationale:  Block timetabling supports flexible pacing and enables part-time or employed students to engage without weekly attendance conflicts. Institutions such are Coventry and UWE are adopting multi-intake block models to enhance accessibility.     

Actions: 

• Review and expand existing practice of flexible PGT delivery aimed at those in work or with caring responsibilities. For example, our full-time MSc Biomedical Science programme is structured so that all taught sessions are delivered in just two consecutive days of the working week. If students wish to study part-time, they are only required on campus one day a week over two years, making it much easier to study around work or caring responsibilities. On the other hand, our MSc Medical Ethics and Law programme is structured so that teaching is delivered in short, intense blocks of typically three days’ duration for each module. The programme requires only 15 days in-person attendance over 1 year for full-time or across 2 years for part-time, with the teaching schedule shared on the course page well in advance, allowing students to liaise with their employers and book time off work, as needed. 
• Restructure academic calendars into shorter teaching blocks (e.g. in-person teaching delivered 1-day a week and/or block delivery).   
• Coordinate assessment calendars to accommodate multiple cohorts.  

All of the above would be underpinned by clear metrics to explicitly prioritise student experience alongside flexibility by embedding clear minimum standards for engagement, communication, and module design across all PGT delivery modes. 

The proposal also recognises that increased flexibility will have operational implications, including workload planning for evening and weekend delivery, the coordination of multiple start points, and variation in suitability across disciplines; these will be addressed through careful timetabling models, aligned assessment scheduling, and a phased, discipline-sensitive approach to implementation to ensure sustainability and maintain academic quality.

What Success Would Look Like

• Improved student satisfaction, as students can balance work and life commitments more effectively. 
• Improved graduate outcomes, due to flexible learning removing pressures and enhancing attainment. 
• Increased recruitment of both home and international students attracted by Keele’s flexible educational model to meet changing societal needs.