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The number of full-time higher education students in Scottish further education colleges has more than doubled in under five years, according to the Scottish Office .

Numbers rose from 9,216 in 1989/90 to 20,342 in 1993/94, representing 15 per cent of all Scotland's full-time higher education students that year. The further education colleges also provided for 57 per cent of all part-time higher education students.

Most higher education students took courses in a small number of disciplines, with 36 per cent studying business and management, and another 18 per cent studying engineering.

Raymond Robertson, Scottish Office minister of education, said the role of further education colleges was changing. They provided greater local choice for access to higher education courses at higher national certificate and diploma level, reflecting the greater demand for technicians and managers.