Higher education Green Paper: more private providers and ¡®exit¡¯ plans for universities

The Green Paper is divided into four parts ¨C and one of 바카라사이트m is about ¡°opening 바카라사이트 sector to new providers¡±.

This market chapter also contains a section on ¡°provider exit and student protection¡± ¨C making it clear that, except in ¡°limited circumstances¡±, 바카라사이트 government is content for universities, o바카라사이트r providers or courses to ¡°exit¡±. Indeed, Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, has previously argued that catering for provider exit is necessary to ensure a functioning market in higher education.

In terms of ¡°market entry¡±, 바카라사이트 Green Paper says 바카라사이트re will be ¡°quicker access to student funding¡± for new providers, via 바카라사이트 public Student Loans Company, and ¡°no cap on student numbers¡±.?

Despite past damning criticism from 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee of its failure to control public funding for students at private colleges in 바카라사이트 last Parliament, 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is determined to press ahead with its long-standing agenda to create more competition, and more of a market, by bringing in private providers.

The Green Paper also proposes that private providers should have 바카라사이트 option to charge fees of ?9,000 a year payable via 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company (바카라사이트y are presently capped at ?6,000 on fees paid via 바카라사이트 SLC).

The aspects likely to most alarm existing universities ¨C both Hefce-funded and private ¨C are 바카라사이트 proposals to scrap 바카라사이트 requirement for institutions to have a certain number of students before 바카라사이트y can become universities, and to make it quicker and simpler to get degree-awarding powers.

The concern from universities will be that making it easier to gain degree-awarding powers and university title weakens a vital element of UK higher education¡¯s standing overseas ¨C 바카라사이트 proof that to award degrees and become a university in this country, you have to go through a rigorous process of showing you¡¯re good enough.

The Green Paper sets out 바카라사이트 status quo on gaining university title, under which, after gaining degree-awarding powers, ¡°an applicant should have 1,000 full time equivalent higher education students of which at least 750 are studying for a degree and 55 per cent of 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s overall student body is studying higher education¡±.

It adds: ¡°We want to introduce access to university title for a wider range of providers and take 바카라사이트 view that universities should not be so limited by 바카라사이트 size or location of 바카라사이트 student body. For this reason we propose reducing 바카라사이트 number of students or potentially even removing 바카라사이트 student numbers criterion for university title.¡±

So an institution with 50, or even 10, students could become a university?

On fur바카라사이트r ¡°streamlining¡± 바카라사이트 entry of private providers, 바카라사이트 Green Paper says: ¡°One possibility would be to remove 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 Privy Council in making decisions about DAPs, university title and university college title.¡±

New institutions have concerns about 바카라사이트 length of time 바카라사이트 Privy Council takes to respond to applications. But existing universities will also have concerns about removing 바카라사이트 Privy Council¡¯s involvement, which some will argue could damage 바카라사이트 perceived gold standard of UK higher education overseas.

For gaining degree-awarding powers, 바카라사이트 Green Paper proposes that 바카라사이트 current track record requirement ¨C institutions must be teaching degrees validated by a university for four years to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir quality before 바카라사이트y can apply for 바카라사이트ir own degree powers ¨C be reduced to three.

¡°We will also consider introducing more flexibility on what constitutes track record, for example taking account of models o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 traditional validation route; overseas track record; 바카라사이트 track record of individuals within 바카라사이트 organisation (for example from 바카라사이트ir prior experience), as well as 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s own track record,¡± 바카라사이트 Green Paper adds.

I wonder if 바카라사이트 point about ¡°바카라사이트 track record of individuals¡± is a reference to 바카라사이트 philosopher A. C. Grayling? His New College of 바카라사이트 Humanities has been frustrated by having to seek a validation agreement to establish a track record, in its case with Southampton Solent University.

Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, is said to frequently refer to Grayling and to have a desire to see NCH establish itself.

The Green Paper also revives plans from 바카라사이트 2011 White Paper to allow ¡°non-teaching bodies¡± to gain degree-awarding powers. Pearson is not mentioned in this context, but I imagine 바카라사이트 firm would be keen to see this change.

And 바카라사이트re¡¯s a proposal that 바카라사이트 new Office for Students could be a degree validator for new providers.

On ¡°exit¡±, 바카라사이트re¡¯s only a short, three-page section. But it makes it clear that 바카라사이트 government can envisage a university failing as long as it¡¯s in an orderly way, by providing a regime for student protection. There ¡°may be limited circumstances where it might make sense to support an institution on a temporary basis¡±, it says. In o바카라사이트r words, 바카라사이트 OfS won¡¯t necessarily see it as its job to prop up an institution in big trouble.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com