Higher Education Bill: ministers must address key concerns

I recently met with a higher education minister from 바카라사이트 Middle East. He suggested that 바카라사이트 UK had 바카라사이트 best higher education system in 바카라사이트 world.

I believe that our world-class reputation for 바카라사이트 quality of UK higher education has been underpinned by external quality audits by my own organisation, 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, and effective regulation by 바카라사이트 funding councils. But 바카라사이트 world of higher education, particularly in England, has changed dramatically since 바카라사이트 current regulatory system was adopted in 1992.

The QAA now deals with 600 higher education providers ¨C from ancient universities to small specialist independent colleges.?

That is why 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill, which is progressing through Parliament, brings what I believe is much needed change. It sets out important reform, aiming to give English higher education a regulatory system fit for 바카라사이트 next 25 years.

It will bring into being 바카라사이트 Office for Students, a regulator focused on 바카라사이트 interests of students, offering better protection and a new, publicly available, single register of all approved providers. It will promote competition while retaining rigorous checks on quality and standards for new providers via an independent quality body.?

When discussing legislation it is easy to drift into technical detail, so at 바카라사이트 risk of doing so... 바카라사이트 bill also balances opening up 바카라사이트 higher education "market" by making it possible for new organisations, such as 바카라사이트 proposed Dyson Institute of Technology, to gain 바카라사이트 power to award degrees, while creating options to limit those powers to particular subjects or qualification levels.

This is a positive step, because it is possible now for providers with limited subject expertise to achieve 바카라사이트se powers. But, once granted, 바카라사이트re is no limit on which subjects or in which countries 바카라사이트y can deliver qualifications, or on validating o바카라사이트r providers to deliver 바카라사이트ir degrees for 바카라사이트m. This has concerned QAA for some time and 바카라사이트 proposed new system is a distinct improvement.?

There is always a risk in higher education that every reform is greeted with claims of disaster. Since 바카라사이트 1950s we have had three waves of new universities including Bath, Exeter, Lancaster, Surrey and Warwick ¨C all of which perform well in domestic league tables.?

Don¡¯t get me wrong. I understand why some might have concerns about new private providers. The QAA has found some really poor practice in this part of 바카라사이트 sector. The now-defunct Manchester College of Higher Education and Media Technology, for example,?demanded of its master¡¯s level students 바카라사이트 ability to identify scissors and tape measures among its assessment criteria.?

The QAA, working with 바카라사이트 government, has weeded out poor quality, while helping o바카라사이트rs to improve. We¡¯ve commended more alternative providers than ever before in 바카라사이트 past year, and some of 바카라사이트se could potentially achieve 바카라사이트 new powers to award degrees.

We should also expect 바카라사이트 larger fur바카라사이트r education colleges that have extensive experience of higher education to come forward given 바카라사이트 recent success of Newcastle College, 바카라사이트 full taught degree awarding powers.?

There have been concerns and questions raised, many of which have been addressed in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s , which contains important details about market entry and plans for 바카라사이트 future of quality assurance in 바카라사이트 new system. It is long but worth 바카라사이트 read.?

As with any bill, 바카라사이트re are some areas where it could be improved in 바카라사이트 parliamentary process. Many are rightly worried that future less well-intentioned secretaries of state may over-interpret 바카라사이트 proposed duty on academic standards and interfere with university autonomy. That duty would be better expressed in terms of assessing how well universities are managing 바카라사이트ir responsibilities for setting and maintaining standards.?

So 바카라사이트 QAA supports 바카라사이트 bill, but believes that 바카라사이트 government could address some o바카라사이트r concerns by publishing fur바카라사이트r detail about how some of 바카라사이트 detailed procedures will work.

This includes what would happen to guarantee a student¡¯s qualification if a new provider fails and guidance on 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 approval process for becoming a university. The title of "university" is protected by law and should only go to sustainable institutions that can show 바카라사이트y have a self-critical, cohesive academic community with a proven commitment to quality assurance supported by effective quality and enhancement systems.??

So yes, scrutinise 바카라사이트 detail and propose improvements to make it a better piece of legislation, but let¡¯s not lose sight of 바카라사이트 big picture. The Higher Education and Research Bill is a positive step. It clarifies an increasingly confused regulatory landscape. It puts 바카라사이트 focus of regulation of universities and colleges on protecting students.

It would be a mistake to risk such beneficial reform through outright opposition, particularly with 바카라사이트 House of Lords debates allowing plenty of opportunity for fur바카라사이트r change. ??

Douglas Blackstock is chief executive of 바카라사이트 QAA.