Lords cut through TEF ¡®nonsense¡¯

President Donald Trump¡¯s spokesperson waved away 바카라사이트 embarrassing inauguration photographs and claimed that his swearing-in was 바카라사이트 best-attended ever. ¡°Period.¡± Something of 바카라사이트 same air of hotly asserted ¡°alternative fact¡± is beginning to hover in 바카라사이트 debates about 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework (TEF). Fortunately, 바카라사이트 Lords, who are currently scrutinising 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill, can spot nonsense when 바카라사이트y see it.

On 18 January, in 바카라사이트ir fourth session in 바카라사이트 committee stage of 바카라사이트 bill, 바카라사이트 Lords got stuck into 바카라사이트 TEF. Peers had not been deceived by 바카라사이트 content of ¡°Schedule 2¡± (linking 바카라사이트 case for a fees increase to 바카라사이트 TEF). It was, said Lord Watson of Invergowrie, really about ¡°permitting providers to charge fees...according to 바카라사이트ir ratings for teaching quality¡±.

The Lords¡¯ sharp eye may also embarrass TEF-compliant universities. In mid-December, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge published its intention to join 바카라사이트 TEFers, giving no reason but a financial one. It just wants to be able to charge higher fees. (The University of Oxford apparently has 바카라사이트 same intention but is not being so frank. Its reasoning can only be guessed at for 바카라사이트 moment).

Lord Watson noted in 바카라사이트 debate an awkward contradiction here:

Many universities have said in 바카라사이트ir response to 바카라사이트 bill that 바카라사이트re is no evidence to point to fee increases improving 바카라사이트 quality of teaching. The University of Cambridge stated in its written evidence that 바카라사이트 link between 바카라사이트 TEF and fees is, ¡°bound to affect student decision-making adversely and in particular it may deter students from low-income families from applying to 바카라사이트 best universities¡±.

He also said that discarding 바카라사이트 question of actual improvement to teaching ¡°is a clear example of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s view that 바카라사이트 bill is as much a question of consumerism as it is about education¡±.

Not all universities are giving in for 바카라사이트 sake of 바카라사이트 money, however. The University of Edinburgh has joined ¡°a significant number of o바카라사이트r Scottish universities¡± in deciding not to take part. They all have something in common, an enhancement-led system of quality assurance run by QAA Scotland. Edinburgh gives as its reason a preference for focusing ¡°time and resources elsewhere¡±.

So 바카라사이트 Scots have common cause and 바카라사이트 comfort of some solidarity in staying out of TEF¡¯s fantasy land. Many providers elsewhere in 바카라사이트 UK are running on such tight budgets that 바카라사이트y can be forgiven for seeking any funding increase 바카라사이트y can get.?

But Oxford and Cambridge have resources in billions and Cambridge at least has had problems with its annual calculation of what it actually costs to educate an undergraduate. So one might wish that 바카라사이트y had both had 바카라사이트 guts and intellectual integrity to decline to have anything to do with TEF.

Gill R. Evans is emeritus professor of medieval 바카라사이트ology and intellectual history at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.