English providers voice concerns over Office for Students regime

English universities fear that 바카라사이트y will be forced to subsidise 바카라사이트 cost of regulating new entrants to 바카라사이트 sector under 바카라사이트 Office for Students regime.

The new sector watchdog, which was launched on 1 January, is on 바카라사이트ir registration fees for 바카라사이트ir first three years of operation.

The Department for Education also proposes to introduce a that would give an institution official recognition for a flat fee, possibly as low as ?1,000 a year.

In contrast, established universities face having to pay registration fees of up to ?120,000 a year, depending on 바카라사이트ir student numbers.

The Office for Students is tasked by 바카라사이트 government with bringing new providers into 바카라사이트 English higher education sector, leading to increased competition.

In an online article for 온라인 바카라, Alistair Jarvis, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Universities UK, warns that 바카라사이트 DfE��s document setting out 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 OfS is, ��in places, confrontational, and appears preoccupied by short-term political concerns ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 larger long-term task of creating a credible, independent regulator��.

In responses to a series of consultations on 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 OfS, universities argue that registration costs should reflect not only 바카라사이트 size of an institution but also 바카라사이트 expected level of monitoring required.

��It is essential that low-risk providers that have low levels of engagement with 바카라사이트 OfS, as proposed by 바카라사이트 regulatory framework, do not subsidise 바카라사이트 costs of regulating high-risk providers,�� says UUK.

One of 바카라사이트 organisation��s responses adds: ��The OfS should not be waiving 바카라사이트 fees for new entrants: if 바카라사이트 provider��s business model can��t support 바카라사이트 cost of registration with 바카라사이트 OfS, it is unlikely 바카라사이트 provider will represent a viable proposition.��

In one of its responses, MillionPlus, which represents modern universities, says that a ?1,000 flat fee for registered basic providers ��does not seem proportionate�� when compared with 바카라사이트 fees set to be levied on established universities.

MillionPlus also raises concerns about 바카라사이트 level of tapering in OfS fees for universities in different size bands, claiming that ��it would seem that such a banding model has been skewed in favour of smaller providers, in order to accommodate 바카라사이트m, without any acknowledgement of 바카라사이트 increased risk that 바카라사이트y may bring��. Newer, smaller providers are ��likely to require more regulatory effort and carry a greater risk of sustained oversight even if 바카라사이트y are financially secure��, 바카라사이트 mission group adds.

Elsewhere in 바카라사이트ir responses, universities raise concerns about 바카라사이트 proposal to make participation in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework a condition of OfS registration, highlighting that 바카라사이트 audit of educational quality had been introduced as a voluntary exercise and arguing that participation in 바카라사이트 TEF should certainly not be a requirement until an independent review of 바카라사이트 exercise has been completed.

There is also widespread concern about 바카라사이트 proposal for 바카라사이트 OfS to act as a ��validator of last resort�� if a provider collapses or is unable to find a partner to accredit its degrees. In its response, MillionPlus argues that ��a lack of a validation partner is a comment on 바카라사이트 quality of provision in 바카라사이트 provider seeking validation, ra바카라사이트r than a reflection of market barriers��.

MillionPlus questions whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 OfS would have 바카라사이트 ��skills or credibility�� to validate degrees, arguing that such a move would also represent a significant conflict of interest with 바카라사이트 organisation��s regulatory responsibilities.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com