{"text":[[{"start":7.754,"text":"The number of UK students accepted on to engineering and technology degrees has surged this year to a record high, according to data published by the universities admissions service."}],[{"start":17.846,"text":"More than 27,200 UK students accepted places on engineering and technology courses starting this autumn, a rise of 14.7 per cent from last year, according to Ucas data published on Thursday."}],[{"start":31.405,"text":"There was also a sharp rise in students securing university places for courses in social sciences and law, with year-on-year rises of 6.9 per cent and 6.4 per cent respectively."}],[{"start":43.28,"text":"Despite a debate about the value of a degree and the fairness of England’s student loan system, the number of school leavers accepting a university place reached a record high of 262,820."}],[{"start":55.28,"text":"This largely reflects the rising number of 18-year-olds, with the entry rate for this age group falling slightly from 32 per cent to 31.6 per cent."}],[{"start":65.315,"text":"Rising demand for technical and professional degrees comes as the number of graduate job postings falls to the lowest levels since the pandemic, raising concerns about the disruptive effect of AI on UK employment."}],[{"start":78.08,"text":"It is understandable that students are looking to these subjects as “a bet on where the labour market is heading”, but ultimately there is no such thing as an AI-proof degree, said Jack Kennedy, senior economist at job search site Indeed."}],[{"start":91.403,"text":"“Some of the occupations most exposed to AI are now starting to outperform the wider labour market, suggesting that AI is creating demand for people who know how to use it, rather than simply replacing them,” he added."}],[{"start":103.35,"text":"The Ucas data showed top-ranking universities once again expanded their intake of UK students at the expense of the rest of the sector, recording an annual rise of 5.2 per cent."}],[{"start":116.72,"text":"Higher education institutions have become more reliant on domestic students to balance the books after changes to UK immigration rules dented overseas recruitment."}],[{"start":123.779,"text":"Thursday’s figures point to a recovery in international demand, with acceptances on Ucas up 2 per cent, driven by a 12 per cent rise from China. The figures do not cover all undergraduate admissions from overseas as some do not apply through the Ucas website."}],[{"start":139.232,"text":"The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) will publish data on national A-level performance later this morning."}],[{"start":153.09,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1786611969_1222.mp3"}