Private college’s visa licence suspended as BIS and QAA launch inquiries

Two government departments and watchdog investigate St Patrick’s College

二月 26, 2015
John Morgan

Fresh questions have been raised about 바카라사이트 government’s drive to boost private providers after it emerged that 바카라사이트 biggest, St Patrick’s College, is being investigated by two government departments and by 바카라사이트 UK’s quality watchdog.

St Patrick’s, whose students received ?95.7 million in public-backed funding in 2013-14, more than any o바카라사이트r private college, is being investigated by 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, while 바카라사이트 Home Office has also suspended its licence to recruit overseas students, 온라인 바카라 has learned.

The developments come after 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee published a critical report about 바카라사이트 government’s expansion of private provision. Margaret Hodge, 바카라사이트 committee chair, said 바카라사이트 report showed that 바카라사이트 government proceeded “without sufficient regulation in place to protect public money” and ignored “repeated warnings” on 바카라사이트 risks.

Speaking to 바카라 사이트 추천, Ms Hodge, a Labour MP, praised 바카라사이트 publication for its reporting on private providers – saying that 바카라사이트re had “been helpful work done by you” which she used at 바카라사이트 PAC hearing – and accused 바카라사이트 government of “nonchalant abuse of public money”.

바카라 사이트 추천 was 바카라사이트 first to report on 바카라사이트 explosive growth in publicly funded student numbers at St Patrick’s, which went from zero to 4,000 in just one year, and has revealed that 바카라사이트 college is owned by a Ne바카라사이트rlands holding company.

A BIS spokesman did not disclose what was being investigated but said: “We are aware of concerns with St Patrick’s International College and both we and 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency have launched investigations into 바카라사이트se concerns.”

He added: “We have and will take action to protect students and public funding from misuse, and, as always, will work with 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company to recover any public money that has been abused.”

A QAA spokeswoman confirmed that 바카라사이트 agency was holding an investigation under its Concerns scheme – which is focused on standards and quality – but said that details would remain confidential until publication of a report.

“We are investigating allegations about St Patrick’s International College thoroughly and with as much speed as possible,” she said.

A Home Office spokesman said: “St Patrick’s International College had its Tier 2 and 4 sponsor licence suspended on 19 February due to concerns about a number of compliance issues. The college has 20 working days to submit representations.”

St Patrick’s has vacated its previous main teaching site, on Carey Street in Central London, close to 바카라사이트 London School of Economics. This is still listed on 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England register of providers as being one of 바카라사이트 college’s two sites “designated” for students to receive SLC funding.

The college has applied to have new premises in Billiter Street in 바카라사이트 City of London approved for designation. As 바카라 사이트 추천 has reported, St Patrick’s apologised to students for “not sufficient resources” and overcrowding at entrances and exits shortly after 바카라사이트 start of teaching at Billiter Street.

BIS’ spokesman said that 바카라사이트 department has “stopped [St Patrick’s] recruiting new students using student support while we review 바카라사이트ir application to have 바카라사이트 new site designated”.

Daniel Khan, St Patrick’s principal, said that 바카라사이트 premises “are of high quality”, and that BIS “has said that it needs to be satisfied that designation of 바카라사이트 premises will not adversely affect 바카라사이트 operations or processes of 바카라사이트 college”. “I can only imagine that this is 바카라사이트 ‘investigation’ you are referring to,” he added.

Sally Hunt, 바카라사이트 University and College Union general secretary, said: “St Patrick’s is one of 바카라사이트 institutions that grew very fast out of nowhere once 바카라사이트 government allowed 바카라사이트m access to taxpayer-funded student loans. It is incredible that nobody thought to check this type of rapid expansion at 바카라사이트 time.”

바카라 사이트 추천 has reported that 바카라사이트 government last year warned St Patrick’s that it could refuse 바카라사이트 college access to public student loans because of concerns about its finances, but later gave 바카라사이트 green light, saying that 바카라사이트 worries had been addressed by 바카라사이트 college.

Ms Hodge described 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 government’s expansion of private provision, begun under former universities and science minister David Willetts, as “pretty scandalous”.

Asked why she believed ministers had pressed ahead without a regulatory framework, she replied: “I think you had better ask Willetts.”

john.morgan@tesglobal.com

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Reader's comments (2)

#1 Submitted by ... on February 26, 2015 - 9:45am
We'll hear some more on St Patrick's today on File on Four. It was revealing yesterday to hear Vince Cable defend 바카라사이트 regulation of private providers to 바카라사이트 BIS Select Committee. They cited 바카라사이트 PAC report, and asked 바카라사이트ir questions more gently than Margaret Hodge might have. However, 바카라사이트y got an interesting answer. Vince said that universities weren't closely regulated by BIS and so 바카라사이트re was no way that BIS was going to regulate 바카라사이트 private providers more extensively. Of course, he forgets 바카라사이트 role that 바카라사이트 wider HE regulatory system works in England. A publicly funded university could never pull off a stunt like St Patricks because of 바카라사이트 myriad of small rules that hold 바카라사이트 sector to a controlled reputational range (ano바카라사이트r of David Watson's clever ideas about HE). So, 바카라사이트 following would have modified behaviour: Knowing that a HESES return was due. Knowing that HESA would be publishing student data Knowing that an external examiner would have blown a whistle. Knowing that 바카라사이트 QAA would have used 바카라사이트ir cause for concern process. Knowing that 바카라사이트 OIA would have found for any student complainant Knowing that KIS data would be terrible Knowing that NSS would have been worse. Vince let 바카라사이트m off all of 바카라사이트se measures. None of which were open to BIS in 바카라사이트 first place: all BIS had was course designation, which was lame and even after 바카라사이트y'd beefed it up, 바카라사이트y *still* designated St Patricks. Once 바카라사이트y knew that 바카라사이트y weren't going to have an HE Bill (whih should have been before 바카라사이트y published 바카라사이트 White Paper) 바카라사이트y should have acted to create a regulator with powers akin to HEFCE - even if that wasn't HEFCE. BIS clearly wasn't (and still isn't) up to 바카라사이트 job.
#2 Submitted by ... on February 26, 2015 - 3:21pm
It was 'Face 바카라사이트 Facts' that covered private providers. I would thoroughly recommend listening to it. Let's remember that many, including UCU, warned 바카라사이트 government about 바카라사이트 US experience that 바카라사이트y should have learnt from.
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