Extending the academic year: new opportunities for learning

The standard UK academic year runs from October to June; in the remaining months the university teaching infrastructure lies largely unused. Meanwhile, the proportion of students studying on a part‐time basis has increased; for these students, as for many of their full‐time counterparts there could be benefit in year round study. The University of Luton has been engaged in a UK Government funded pilot programme to extend the academic year. This paper describes the programme, its organisation and management and the outcomes of evaluation exercises. It also discusses the implications for extended academic provision for the higher education sector as a whole.