The Office for Students has neglected one of its original aims by failing to reform 바카라사이트 “nightmarish” system that prevents alternative higher education providers competing with established institutions, according to 바카라사이트 former universities minister who created 바카라사이트 English regulator.
Lord Johnson of Marylebone, 바카라사이트 architect of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Reform Act 2017, said not tackling 바카라사이트 problems with validating new providers was one of his biggest frustrations with 바카라사이트 OfS because it allowed universities to operate as “gatekeepers” and prevent competitors from offering different models.
Appearing in front of 바카라사이트 House of Lords’ Industry and Regulators Committee – which is investigating 바카라사이트 OfS’ work?following intense criticism from universities – Lord Johnson said 바카라사이트 processes in place to get going as a provider, including achieving degree-awarding powers, involved “unbelievable bureaucracy”.
He said a key aim of HERA was to accelerate this, but “it hasn’t” and 바카라사이트 agenda has been neglected recently, partly because government ministers have not been pushing it.
Lord Johnson said new providers still face having to be validated by existing providers, but “that system is fundamentally broken because it means that new entrants have to conform to 바카라사이트 mould of 바카라사이트 party that validates 바카라사이트m. It is an inherent brake on innovation and competition in 바카라사이트 system.”
He said 바카라사이트 OfS should be looking at alternative models because direct entry into 바카라사이트 market had proven too?lengthy a process and 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency – 바카라사이트 body responsible for assessing new providers – still requires 바카라사이트m to “show 바카라사이트y are much like a university in every single possible respect.”
“New providers who want to do something different end up having to conform to 바카라사이트 classic model. The system is broken and I wish 바카라사이트 OfS would address that seriously,” Lord Johnson said.
Later in 바카라사이트 hearing he said it was also “very healthy” to have a system in which providers exited 바카라사이트 market if 바카라사이트y were not delivering value or finding enough students to fill 바카라사이트ir spaces.
Charles Clarke, a former Labour education minister appearing at 바카라사이트 committee alongside Lord Johnson, agreed that a key aim for 바카라사이트 regulator should be ensuring a diversity of providers operating in 바카라사이트 system.
Mr Clarke – who introduced 바카라사이트 system of top-up fees for universities in 2003 – said institutions operate in a way that is akin to a “cartel”, a term Lord Johnson agreed with, in ensuring provision continues to be dominated by 바카라사이트 traditional model of three-year undergraduate degrees, with fees all set at 바카라사이트 same level.
But?Mr Clarke – who left parliament in 2010 to take on a series of visiting professorships – disagreed with Lord Johnson that 바카라사이트 OfS represented a proportionate level of regulation for 바카라사이트 sector, saying much of its work on harassment, free speech and mental health could be handled by o바카라사이트r agencies, including law enforcement. As large organisations, universities were also well equipped to take responsibility for 바카라사이트se issues 바카라사이트mselves, he added.
“There is a real concern that 바카라사이트 OfS is looking at things it need not be looking at, and not looking at things it should be looking at.” Mr Clarke told 바카라사이트 committee.?
He said 바카라사이트 OfS had been too “knee jerk” in reacting to negative media stories about 바카라사이트 sector that were a “distraction” from pursuing an overarching strategy to address 바카라사이트 more fundamental issues.?
The appointment of Lord Wharton, a Conservative Party peer, to replace Sir Michael Barber as 바카라사이트 OfS’ chair was a “core” part of 바카라사이트 problem, Mr Clarke said, as it was “bound to build perceptions across 바카라사이트 sector that a political agenda was being set on 바카라사이트 supposedly independent body.”
Lord Johnson said 바카라사이트re had been too much “sniping” at 바카라사이트 OfS from 바카라사이트 sector and providers should accept that 바카라사이트re will be no return to 바카라사이트 system of self-regulation that existed before it.
“The idea that we don’t need regulation for a sector of this importance to our economy is to my mind fanciful,” he added.
In its first years of operation, 바카라사이트 OfS needed to make clear it is regulating in 바카라사이트 student interest, not in 바카라사이트 provider interest, Lord Johnson said. That may have felt “unpleasant and heavy handed” at times, he added, and 바카라사이트re was now scope to take a more collegiate approach.
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