Exploring value-related perspectives of students over time: describing a linked research programme comprising four studies

Despite steadily increasing tuition fees, higher education is still perceived as a positive experience. Research to date has focused on whether burgeoning costs influence the student application decision, but little research has focused on value-related perceptions of students already attending university; and nor how such perceptions might change over the lifecycle of an undergraduate degree course. This working paper summarises a research programme comprising four linked/related research projects that focus on this specifically. One study is published, two are complete with writing up required, and another is presently at the planning stage. Iteratively, the first project addressed value perspectives of final year students generally and the second has focused on changing perceptions for final year students over a twelve-year period that covers three different fee regimes. The third is purely conceptual and has caused us to consider how we name the value construct we are most interested in, whilst the fourth is a return to empirical work and will address how value-related drivers might change over the duration of a conventional undergraduate degree course. Collectively we believe this research programme will contribute to a deep understanding of value-related concerns in higher education and, particularly, assess the impact of a newly marketised environment on these perceptions. Our research programme is case-based and focuses on Business School students in one UK institution