SCOTTISH universities have been urged to give a "second chance" to students who miss out on higher education when they leave school.
Some 36 per cent of school- leavers go straight into higher education, but other able pupils miss out either because they do not have sufficient qualifications or because they do not consider university suitable.
Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, believes a renewed focus should be given to encouraging people to reconsider a degree after they have experienced training or work.
Encouraging more mature students to do an undergraduate degree is also seen as a crucial way of widening access to those from more deprived backgrounds.
Pupils in this position may not achieve as highly as others because of the influence of social problems at home or because their families do not see higher education as a useful goal.
Alastair Sim, director of Universities Scotland, said: "It's important people know that you don't just get one chance at university when you are 17 or 18.
"A lot of people do go straight from school on to university, but if that is not appropriate for the individual they should not think they've missed their only chance.
"Universities are creating second chances for people who would never have believed that university was for them - and we need to reach far more people, to make them aware that this is an opportunity open to them."
Gordon Maloney, president of NUS Scotland, welcomed the renewed focus from the university sector, but warned there were still barriers.
He said: "For many people, taking a route straight from school into university simply won't be the right one for them and we should recognise that as a distinctive element of Scotland's diverse education system.
"While it's good to hear Scottish universities speaking up for second chances, that needs to come with a concerted effort to make it happen.
"We still hear of students with college qualifications being forced to repeat and duplicate years of study at university, or their qualifications simply not being recognised."
Mr Maloney said ensuring university admission systems recognised alternative qualifications was crucial to the success of the initiative.
Mary Senior, UCU (University and College Union) Scotland official, said higher education had a key role to play in giving people of all ages the chance to develop themselves and improve their opportunities.
She said: "Background and family circumstances all too often prevents people from seeing university as the right choice for them when leaving school.
"As well as working in schools to encourage students from disadvantaged communities to see university as an option, universities also need to ensure the door is left open to those who missed out to go later on in life.
"That means ensuring that the right information, signposting and support, including financial support, is available, and that part-time and flexible study is an option, allowing people to fit their studies around their work and caring responsibilities."
Last week, figures showed one-third of universities had experienced a decline in the recruitment of students from Scotland's most deprived communities.
However, there was a rise in the number of students moving from college to university to take up degree courses - seen as a crucial step in giving pupils a second chance.
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