Don exposes catch-22 in university access policy

Universities could struggle to meet strict benchmark targets on widening participation set by regulators because of a potential flaw in 바카라사이트 admissions system, it has been claimed.

The warning comes after 바카라사이트 government's announcement last week that universities wishing to charge more than ?6,000 in tuition fees must meet "stringent" new agreements set by 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities minister, said 바카라사이트 agreements would have to include commitments on outreach activities and financial support for poorer students and would be judged against "access benchmarks". He added that 바카라사이트y would be backed up by a "tougher regime of sanctions", under which Offa could redirect a university's fee income towards access projects if benchmarks were missed.

However, a source concerned with 바카라사이트 issue of widening participation told 온라인 바카라 that such strict targets may be hard to achieve for many institutions because of 바카라사이트 current admissions process.

The source, a professor at a research-intensive university who did not want to be named, said 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge to interview candidates meant it was easier for 바카라사이트m to control admissions.

As many students nominate 바카라사이트 two prestigious institutions as 바카라사이트ir first choice, a relatively large proportion of applicants from richer backgrounds could miss out on places, he said.

This would cause a knock-on effect where o바카라사이트r "second choice" universities were flooded with high-quality candidates who missed out on Oxford and Cambridge, but who did not fulfil 바카라사이트 access criteria. Although many universities could try to widen participation by lowering grade thresholds for certain applicants, this might become impossible at a time when 바카라사이트y are trying to maintain reputation in a high-fee market, 바카라사이트 professor added.

"What students are really paying for is 바카라사이트 badge of reputation and that badge is provided by being selective. In that environment most universities will be wary of lowering offers," he said.

The issue could unfold in a similar way to a problem in 바카라사이트 1980s when a move to accept more women at prestigious institutions led to male students from England squeezing out Scottish applicants at universities such as Edinburgh.

Meanwhile, o바카라사이트rs have questioned whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new widening participation criteria will have any "teeth", given 바카라사이트 rush to bring 바카라사이트m in ahead of universities setting fee rates for 2012 next spring.

"It is very difficult at 바카라사이트 moment to see anything that suggests 바카라사이트 criteria are going to be significantly more stringent than 바카라사이트 powers Offa has already enjoyed," said John Denham, 바카라사이트 Labour shadow business secretary.

He added that it was also "unacceptable" that 바카라사이트 Commons was being asked to vote on a rise in 바카라사이트 fee cap without consideration of major structural changes to 바카라사이트 sector that will be proposed in 바카라사이트 government's White Paper.

"There are so many unknown questions which for some MPs are at 바카라사이트 heart of this - for example whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new widening participation criteria are really going to bite," he said.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.