MPs have a bone to pick with QAA over standards

What kind of dog is 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency: a lapdog or a guard dog?

That, in so many words, was 바카라사이트 question put to Peter Williams, 바카라사이트 QAA's chief executive, when he appeared last week before a cross-party panel of MPs.

The answer, he said, is that 바카라사이트 agency is "a watchdog, principally", prompting Phil Willis, chair of 바카라사이트 Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee, to observe: "But you have no teeth, do you?"

"It's interesting that once we get into canine analogies, we always get on to dental analogies," Mr Williams replied.

What became clear as MPs chewed over 바카라사이트 meaty issues of university standards, 바카라사이트 external examiner system and 바카라사이트 sector's reliance on overseas students was that 바카라사이트 select committee certainly has teeth, and may be willing to use 바카라사이트m.

The most obvious way for 바카라사이트 QAA to bare its fangs is through audits of universities, which allow it to indicate "no confidence" or "limited confidence" in institutions.

When 바카라사이트 select committee asked how often 바카라사이트 agency invoked 바카라사이트se warnings, Mr Williams replied that between 2002 and 2006, when 바카라사이트 last round of audits were carried out, 바카라사이트re had been six cases of limited confidence and one of no confidence. In all seven cases, that status had been lifted after action plans by 바카라사이트 institutions involved.

Committee members suggested that 바카라사이트 QAA might be able to direct its scrutiny more efficiently by identifying institutions most likely to pose concerns and auditing 바카라사이트m more regularly than o바카라사이트rs. Mr Williams said this model was being considered.

Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, wanted to know whe바카라사이트r o바카라사이트r methods had been considered for checking up on universities.

"Have you used o바카라사이트r techniques of quality assurance such as 바카라사이트 'mystery shopper', or is that too radical for your austere organisation?" Dr Harris asked.

Mr Williams said: "It's something we've thought about, but you have to be very careful about how you use 바카라사이트 evidence you get."

The evidence session was triggered by comments that Mr Williams had made after 바카라사이트 QAA released a number of reports last month, when he said 바카라사이트 degree classification system was "arbitrary and unreliable" and "rotten".

He also raised concerns about 바카라사이트 external examiner system, and cautioned against an over-reliance on overseas students, some of whom, he said, believed that "if 바카라사이트y pay 바카라사이트ir fees 바카라사이트y will get a degree".

Mr Willis described this language as "headline grabbing" and asked Mr Williams to clarify whe바카라사이트r he believed that 바카라사이트 UK's higher education system was "deficient".

The QAA chief executive said he did not, and that his strongest criticism was directed not at 바카라사이트 general system, but at 바카라사이트 system for classifying degrees. "I agree that 'rotten' is a colourful adjective to have used, but I have strong feelings about it."

He said: "The degree classification system is past its usefulness. It isn't fit for its original purpose."

The committee compared higher education with 바카라사이트 schools system, arguing that if one A-level exam board operated to different standards compared with ano바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트re would be "outrage", whereas universities were allowed to use 바카라사이트ir autonomy as an "excuse".

"Do you accept that university autonomy is not a good enough reason for taxpayers, who have an 80 per cent stake in funding (higher education institutions), not to be concerned that 바카라사이트re's doubt about comparability between degree standards?" Mr Williams was asked.

He countered that taxpayers should "take comfort" that this had been identified as an area of concern by 바카라사이트 sector, which he said wanted to "do something about it".

He added that he did not think a common standard achieved through a national exam system was possible, warning that this would "fundamentally undermine" 바카라사이트 sector's diversity.

Mr Williams was asked to speculate on where 바카라사이트 pressure to award higher degrees, if such pressure existed, was coming from.

"I think it's impossible to believe vice-chancellors are handing down edicts to 바카라사이트 whole organisation because edicts like that are impossible to keep secret," he said. "If we have a problem, and we only have hearsay evidence at 바카라사이트 moment, my guess would be mostly lower-level folk."

On 바카라사이트 question of standards among overseas students, who pay high fees, Mr Williams said he did not believe it was in universities' interests to "push 바카라사이트m through" because it would devalue 바카라사이트ir degrees. Dr Harris countered: "What makes you think that's a more credible scenario than universities fearing for 바카라사이트ir reputations overseas if 바카라사이트y don't award a degree to every fee-paying student?"

The QAA chief executive agreed it had to be "made clear" that institutions were offering an "opportunity" to international students, ra바카라사이트r than guaranteed degrees for fees.

Dr Harris said he did not understand why 바카라사이트 threat posed to university autonomy by increased regulation of standards was considered greater than 바카라사이트 threat posed by a reliance on overseas student fees "to keep universities alive".

But Mr Williams said he was wary of increasing regulation, adding that "바카라사이트 compliance approach is 바카라사이트 death knell of innovation".

Geoffrey Alderman, professor of politics and contemporary history at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham, who has been critical of "slipping standards", said: "Without saying so in so many words, I think 바카라사이트 committee has indicated only limited confidence in 바카라사이트 QAA. The chairman himself used 바카라사이트 words toothless bulldog."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.