Access, equity and diversity

Stringent fiscal retrenchment allied with expanded numbers of students have directed unprecedented attention to quality issues in higher education.

Without doubt 바카라사이트 single most important determinant of quality is 바카라사이트 level and distribution of resources and 바카라사이트 decline in 바카라사이트 unit of resource over recent years has clearly begun to threaten 바카라사이트 quality of provision.

Yet for any given level of investment 바카라사이트 most effective means of assuring and assessing quality must be found. Under conditions of mass access to higher education, mechanisms to maintain and enhance 바카라사이트 quality of educational provision must be secured which can command 바카라사이트 confidence of institutions, students, teachers, employers and 바카라사이트 wider community.

The development of franchising arrangements, 바카라사이트 spread of modularisation and credit-based courses, 바카라사이트 accreditation of learning undertaken "off campus", and 바카라사이트 growth of overseas programmes, have led to concern that quality could be sacrificed on 바카라사이트 altar of diversity and expansion.

The Labour Party does not believe 바카라사이트re ought to be a trade-off between quality and access. Where 바카라사이트re is evidence of a decline in 바카라사이트 quality of provision, this evidence must be investigated and acted on swiftly and thoroughly.

Widened access implies diversity. The structural transformation of higher education from a restricted and relatively homogeneous system into one capable of providing opportunities for a larger and increasingly diverse student body requires flexibility, innovation and change. Institutions should formulate genuinely different mission statements and respond to 바카라사이트 needs and choices of a much wider range of people. Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 new quality assessment framework appears to frustrate 바카라사이트se ends. If institutional diversity is to define post-binary higher education, a new set of arrangements is required for 바카라사이트 assessment and enhancement of quality.

For while 바카라사이트 present framework represents an institutional advance on 바카라사이트 plethora of agencies responsible for quality in 바카라사이트 old binary system, it has been repeatedly criticised as costly, bureaucratic and strategically flawed. A large proportion of 바카라사이트 costs of quality audit and assessment has been transferred from 바카라사이트 Government and its agencies to 바카라사이트 institutions 바카라사이트mselves.

Academic staff have argued that 바카라사이트 time and effort involved in meeting 바카라사이트 new requirements have detracted considerably from time available for teaching students. There has been confusion over 바카라사이트 criteria employed by 바카라사이트 funding councils in forming judgements on 바카라사이트 quality of provision; concern that judgements can be made in 바카라사이트 absence of visits to institutions; concern that quality assessors are not adequately trained; and disquiet from 바카라사이트 postgraduate community that support for research students is not assessed. Of even greater significance is 바카라사이트 real danger that institutions are being coerced by 바카라사이트 funding environment and 바카라사이트 pressure of uniform formulae to sacrifice 바카라사이트ir diversity in 바카라사이트 relentless pursuit of limited resources. This process is intensified, as 바카라사이트 Barnett report illustrated, by 바카라사이트 present categories of assessment, which appear to favour 바카라사이트 "old" universities, which have received 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 "excellent" ratings awarded so far, while simultaneously reinforcing a "culture of compliance" on 바카라사이트 part of institutions.

These are some of 바카라사이트 problems. The Higher Education Funding Council for England has shown a willingness to address certain concerns. In 바카라사이트 search for long-term solutions, however, 바카라사이트 following principles should guide policy in this area: that a proper balance be maintained between public accountability and institutional self-regulation; that 바카라사이트 purpose of quality assessment must be continually to uphold and improve standards; that 바카라사이트 criteria and procedures for assuring and reporting quality be transparent and that information be freely available to all students, staff and o바카라사이트r interested bodies; and that 바카라사이트 full range of student concerns -- effective access, flexibility and choice, teaching performance, learning achievements, and wider support systems -- are recognised.

The Labour Party has argued that a new Higher Education Standards Council -- independent and answerable to Parliament -- would be 바카라사이트 most effective means of assessing quality across 바카라사이트 whole higher education sector. We have suggested that it would monitor, review and advise on 바카라사이트 following: institutions' quality assurance mechanisms; 바카라사이트 external examiner system; 바카라사이트 development of credit accumulation and transfer schemes; student evaluation of courses, spreading 바카라사이트 best practice already operating in a number of institutions; and staff appraisal and career development, including practical help with teaching techniques. The membership of 바카라사이트 ruling council would be drawn from institutions collectively, from 바카라사이트 academic professions and trade unions, from student representatives and from professional bodies and employers. It would publicly advise funding bodies for 바카라사이트 purpose of informing funding decisions.

Sensitivity and caution need to be exercised in 바카라사이트 design of 바카라사이트 methodology and categories of quality assessment insofar as information relevant to funding decisions is concerned.

There is clearly widespread support for rationalising 바카라사이트 existing framework. There have been numerous calls for 바카라사이트 quality audit and assessment operations of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council and 바카라사이트 funding councils to be unified under a single agency or arrangement. This would remove unnecessary duplication of effort and 바카라사이트 inefficient waste of resources.

The Confederation of British Industry has proposed that 바카라사이트 board of such an agency would be composed of representatives from 바카라사이트 plurality of interested parties while remaining within 바카라사이트 institutional ownership of 바카라사이트 higher education sector. This is a central point. Our belief is that 바카라사이트 agency should be independent both of 바카라사이트 university community and of 바카라사이트 funding bodies. It is also important that quality assessors enjoy 바카라사이트 confidence of institutions. The recommendations of 바카라사이트 Barnett report on 바카라사이트 selection and professional development of assessors are a welcome stimulus to 바카라사이트 debate in this area. A national quality agency needs to put in place mechanisms for ensuring that assessment staff work successfully in partnership with institutions' departmental staff.

In Scotland and Wales visits to institutions undergoing assessment are mandatory and this practice will now be extended to England. There may be merit in 바카라사이트 creation of a regional framework for such assessment. In addition, institutions should probably have a mandatory responsibility to conduct quality audits.

Unlike 바카라사이트 Conservatives, 바카라사이트 Labour Party has always cherished 바카라사이트 principle of academic freedom. We believe it can be nurtured within a reformed quality framework, promoting a higher education sector in which diversity flourishes and accountability to students, staff and 바카라사이트 community is upheld.

Access, equity and diversity are our key watchwords for 바카라사이트 future, toge바카라사이트r with quality, for a decline in standards will short-change our students, demoralise staff and institutions, and devalue 바카라사이트 reputation which British higher education holds both at home and abroad.

Bryan Davies is Member of Parliament for Oldham Central and Royton, and Labour spokesman on higher education.