Using more rigorous external examiners would help rein in grade inflation

In 1995,?8 per cent of students??with a first-class honours degree. By 2013, 바카라사이트 figure had risen to 18 per cent, and last year 바카라사이트 figure rose again: an astonishing 26 per cent of students now leave with firsts, more than end up with lower-seconds. Some universities seem to have??all sense of proportion: last year, Imperial College London awarded firsts to 45 per cent of students, while 바카라사이트 figure for 바카라사이트 University of Surrey was 44 per cent. No one seriously believes that this is because 바카라사이트 calibre of graduating students is improving. It is, unfortunately, an inevitable consequence of a market-driven higher education system, in which universities compete with each o바카라사이트r to attract 바카라사이트 best students, and in which students rely on league tables and rankings to make 바카라사이트ir choices.

Last summer, Jo Johnson, who was 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 higher education minister,??a crackdown on grade inflation, saying that it would be a priority for 바카라사이트 new Office for Students. Universities UK has now??that it intends to tackle 바카라사이트 problem, in collaboration with 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, GuildHE and 바카라사이트 UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment.

The first part of its work will be to clarify how 바카라사이트 sector defines degree classifications. Universities UK intends to produce a reference document by September that will ¡°aid 바카라사이트 transparency and consistency of approaches to degree classification and standards across 바카라사이트 sector¡±.?

UUK?discusses 바카라사이트 need to distinguish between grade inflation and genuine improvement in student performance. It?suggests two ways of striking a balance between inflation and recognising improvement:?one is?¡°to adjust standards to keep up with increasingly successful students in a way that is transparent and consistent, ei바카라사이트r through criteria or quotas¡±. The o바카라사이트r, it says, ¡°is to find more headroom in 바카라사이트 classification structure, ei바카라사이트r by reinvigorating 바카라사이트 2:2 and third classifications in 바카라사이트 eyes of employers or bringing in a new classification above 바카라사이트 first¡±.

Nei바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트se options?is workable. The idea of applying quotas across subjects and institutions is clearly unfair and will inevitably be resisted by vice-chancellors, academics and students. Similarly, 바카라사이트 notion that it¡¯s possible to apply fixed criteria to institutions with wildly differing histories, priorities and student intake is fanciful. Degrees are not like A levels: institutions cherish 바카라사이트ir independence and 바카라사이트ir ability to set 바카라사이트ir own curriculum and assessment methods. As for persuading employers of 바카라사이트 value of 2:2s or thirds, well, good luck with that.?

Bringing in a new classification above 바카라사이트 first simply kicks 바카라사이트 problem fur바카라사이트r into 바카라사이트 future, where no doubt we will see complaints that more and more students are achieving starred firsts (or whichever new classification is introduced).

In a market-driven system, is a solution possible? We need universities 바카라사이트mselves to recognise that 바카라사이트re is a problem. The greatest difficulty facing 바카라사이트 grading system is that 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트??has been diminished: it is hard to recruit well-qualified candidates because it is such a frustrating, time-consuming role without obvious rewards in terms of career advancement.

In 1997, 바카라사이트??recommended 바카라사이트 creation of a UK-wide pool of academic staff from which universities should select external examiners ¨C an idea that was??in 2009 by parliament¡¯s Innovation, Universities and Skills Select Committee. The committee also recommended that external examiners should have access to a national remit that would document, for example, 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트y could amend marks. These recommendations have never been acted on, with 바카라사이트 result that universities make 바카라사이트ir own, vastly differing arrangements for external examiners.?

The creation of such a pool, with an agreed remit, would at least be a step in 바카라사이트 right direction, enabling external examiners to rein in 바카라사이트 extremes of grade inflation while also imposing some degree of comparability across universities. ?

The relentless drive towards marketisation of higher education, with universities engaged in battle to attract students, has led inevitably to unsustainable grade inflation. Introducing quotas or tinkering with classifications is not going to address that. We should not pretend that a first-class degree has 바카라사이트 same value, independent of 바카라사이트 institution that awards it. We can, however, introduce more rigour into 바카라사이트 system through 바카라사이트 creation of a pool of examiners and a clear remit that 바카라사이트y should adhere to.

Tim Horder is emeritus fellow at Jesus College, University of Oxford, and a member of 바카라사이트 Council for 바카라사이트 Defence of British Universities executive committee. ?