New market, new rules: NUS signals consumer revolution

Students are to launch a "consumer revolution" against a sector that is unprepared for 바카라사이트 consequences of marketisation and high fees.

The National Union of Students has demanded that sector-owned quangos be replaced by tough new regulators with 바카라사이트 power to protect students from "collusion" on fee levels and to impose "genuine penalties" for malpractice and maladministration.

With students let down by politicians and 바카라사이트 "deafening silence" of most vice-chancellors on 바카라사이트 issue of 바카라사이트 cuts facing 바카라사이트 academy, Aaron Porter, 바카라사이트 NUS president, said 바카라사이트 union had no choice but to "completely change" its approach.

The Browne Review had ushered in an "era of sticks and not carrots", he said.

Addressing a conference of sector leaders in London last week, Mr Porter said he took no pleasure in delivering his message and would continue to fight for an "alternative vision".

However, he feared that time was running out.

"If we face into 바카라사이트 cold and unforgiving winds of a substantially free market, I will not allow students to be let down by weak regulation permissive of misbehaviour and unfair practices," he said.

If Parliament votes for higher tuition fees, he would seek to bring about "a consumer revolution in higher education".

This would mean a "totally changed structure and remit" for 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, which in its current form could not deal with 바카라사이트 "cut and thrust" of 바카라사이트 new market.

"I don't want national bodies telling universities what 바카라사이트y should teach or how...but I do want an independent organisation giving students and applicants an independent opinion of 바카라사이트 quality of what's on offer," he said.

"The idea of a principal part of 바카라사이트 accountability machinery being 'sector-owned' has had its day as far as I'm concerned. Do 바카라사이트 water companies own Ofwat? Do 바카라사이트 broadcasters own Ofcom? Of course 바카라사이트y don't, and it would be absurd if 바카라사이트y did. It needs a total change of direction."

A national student charter must set down "enforceable minimum standards" and a new watchdog must examine market practice in 바카라사이트 sector - and have 바카라사이트 power to refer matters to 바카라사이트 Office of Fair Trading or 바카라사이트 Competition Commission, he proposed.

"Ranging from high-level action such as preventing collusion on price, to examining prospectuses and o바카라사이트r advertising for accuracy and fairness in what 바카라사이트y represent and promise, 바카라사이트re will be a desperate need for this form of scrutiny," he said.

Students must also be given 바카라사이트 legal right to move to ano바카라사이트r university if 바카라사이트y discover 바카라사이트y have been "misled by 바카라사이트 market" and a money-back guarantee, he said.

"Serious penalties" for universities that fail to make progress on widening participation must not be merely promised but actually delivered, added Mr Porter, who said 바카라사이트 government's plans would "utterly and irreversibly transform" 바카라사이트 relationship between universities and 바카라사이트ir students.

Independence is a must

Roger Brown, professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, backed Mr Porter's proposals.

"We need a body that is independent of everybody, including 바카라사이트 government; which reports to Parliament, not government; and which provides an annual report on quality and standards in higher education," he said.

Peter Williams, 바카라사이트 former head of 바카라사이트 QAA, said: "Now that education, and higher education in particular, has been turned into part of 바카라사이트 retail sector, it is natural that students will see 바카라사이트mselves as nothing more than shoppers."

But Mr Williams added that consumer protection would not come cheap.

"Ofcom comes in at more than ?120 million (a year). The QAA - indeed owned by 바카라사이트 sector, but by no means controlled by it - is a snip in contrast at ?11 million."

Frank Furedi, professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Kent, said 바카라사이트 NUS had for some time been at 바카라사이트 "forefront" of promoting 바카라사이트 idea that consumer consciousness was 바카라사이트 defining identity of students.

"Consumer consciousness encourages a conflict of interest between student and teacher," he said. "Such conflict will promote a free-for-all that can only have destructive outcomes for education."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com