For several years, the number of young men applying for further education courses has been dwindling. British boys are falling behind their female classmates and apparently finding the prospect of university increasingly less attractive.

Today, statistics published by a top education authority show that the university gender divide has widened further than ever before. The report, compiled by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), reveals that male university applicants are now outnumbered by female by over 94,000.

But that's not all. The troubling study shows that males are a minority across the board: among undergraduates, postgraduates, full-time students and part-time students. There is also an evident epidemic of underachievement among the male university population, with boys leading the way in the figures for drop-out rates and exam failure.