The bar chart illustrates the number of men and women in the UK who pursued further education, categorized by full-time and part-time modes of study, during the academic years 1970/71, 1980/81, and 1990/91.
Overall, there was a notable increase in full-time enrolments for both genders, particularly among women. In contrast, while part-time study remained the more popular choice, male participation in this category slightly declined, whereas female enrolment grew significantly.
In 1970/71, part-time education attracted approximately 1 million men, compared to about 700,000 women. By 1990/91, the number of male part-time students had declined modestly to around 900,000, whereas female participation rose markedly, surpassing 1.1 million. This shift resulted in women overtaking men in this mode of study by the end of the period.
A similar trend was observed in full-time education. Although male enrolment rose from roughly 100,000 in 1970/71 to about 200,000 in 1990/91, the growth in female enrolment was even more pronounced, increasing fourfold from around 50,000 to match the male figure by 1990/91.
In summary, while part-time programs continued to dominate, the overall upward trend in female participation—across both full-time and part-time education—highlighted a significant shift in gender dynamics in UK higher education during the two-decade period.