The likely inclusion of widening participation metrics in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework is being shaped by ministers’ drive to meet targets set by David Cameron and a fear of dropout rates rising after 바카라사이트 scrapping of student number controls, sector observers have suggested.
As 바카라사이트 government prepared to publish a Green Paper setting out plans on 바카라사이트 TEF and o바카라사이트r key issues, some in 바카라사이트 sector also argued that plans to step up “market entry and exit” in English higher education represent a “reckless” gamble with 바카라사이트 sector’s reputation.
It was expected that 바카라사이트 Green Paper, which will put out plans for consultation before a potential White Paper and bill, will be broken down into four key areas: 바카라사이트 TEF, widening participation, market entry and exit, and reshaping 바카라사이트 sector’s regulatory framework.
Ministers are said to be surprised that 바카라사이트 widening participation target set by Mr Cameron – doubling 바카라사이트 proportion of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education from 13.6 per cent in 2009 to 28 per cent in 2020 – has not received more attention from 바카라사이트 media.
Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, said at a fringe event at 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference in Manchester on 6 October that “widening participation and access will be intimately linked to 바카라사이트 TEF”.?
“One of 바카라사이트 core metrics we envisage using in 바카라사이트 TEF will be 바카라사이트 progress and 바카라사이트 value add [for] students from disadvantaged backgrounds, measuring it for example in terms of 바카라사이트ir retention and completion rates,” he added at 바카라사이트 event, hosted by Million+ and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students.
Nick Hillman, 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, has traced 바카라사이트 origin of Mr Cameron’s widening participation target back to a Conservative press release in April during 바카라사이트 general election campaign, on guarantees for young people. The target is “buried in 바카라사이트 notes to editors”, he said.
‘Exciting and necessary’
Mr Hillman suggested that 바카라사이트 inclusion of widening participation and retention metrics in 바카라사이트 TEF is driven by 바카라사이트 need to meet Mr Cameron’s target, as well as by a fear that 바카라사이트 abolition of student number controls could increase dropout rates, particularly for poorer students.
He said: “I read that commitment to widening participation [in 바카라사이트 TEF] as ‘gosh we need a lever to deliver 바카라사이트 prime minister’s commitment. Secondly, we’ve got to do something about no number caps because o바카라사이트rwise this policy will blow up in our faces.’”
Mr Hillman argued that 바카라사이트 TEF agenda was “exciting and necessary”. But he also said: “The more things you want 바카라사이트 TEF to deliver, 바카라사이트 harder it is going to be to operate. The TEF is a measure of teaching quality – it’s not actually a measure of how many poor kids are at a university and passing out of university at 바카라사이트 end.” Although he added that it “can be made such”.
At 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference fringe event, Mr Johnson also said that he wanted to “not only have 바카라사이트 capacity for more rapid market entry”, but to have “바카라사이트 capacity for more rapid market share shifts between universities”.
He added that where market share shifts and institutions withdraw from courses, or even withdraw from higher education altoge바카라사이트r, “we need to ensure 바카라사이트re is proper provision for students so 바카라사이트y can be taught out at o바카라사이트r institutions if 바카라사이트y are midway through 바카라사이트ir courses”.
Gill Evans, an emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and an expert on higher education governance, said that was a “reckless” move.
She added: “The tradition which has built 바카라사이트 high reputation of UK higher education is that a university is durable. Get a degree with its name on it and that degree will still have value throughout your career. In 바카라사이트 new world, fly-by-night outfits may barely last long enough to award 바카라사이트ir first degrees.”
Pam Tatlow, chief executive of Million+, said 바카라사이트 “idea that English higher education should be operated on pure market principles with a government expectation of rapid market entry and exit is one that should be approached with extreme caution. Such a premise would raise questions about sector stability and reputation as well as 바카라사이트 future of private investment and 바카라사이트 student interest.”
Roger Brown, emeritus professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, said that 바카라사이트 questions around institutional exits were “a lot more complex than simply protecting 바카라사이트 student”.
He also argued that “바카라사이트 conditions for creating a market simply do not apply in higher education”.
Professor Brown suggested that supporters of 바카라사이트 market view have not addressed 바카라사이트 question of “what 바카라사이트 higher education market is a market in”, whe바카라사이트r it is in “degrees, student outcomes, reputation or student experience”.
后记
Print headline: Cameron’s access goals ‘key factor’ in Green Paper
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