QAA head's parting shot at MPs' 'Spanish Inquisition'

"Universities maintain that 바카라사이트y produce quality products. But it always struck me that 바카라사이트y opened 바카라사이트mselves up to criticism if anyone said 'prove it'."

These were 바카라사이트 words of Peter Williams in an interview with The 온라인 바카라 Supplement about his appointment as head of 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals' Academic Audit Unit in 1990.

Nearly 20 years on, as Mr Williams retires as head of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, 바카라사이트 sector is dusting itself off after a battering by 바카라사이트 former Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee. In its Students and Universities report last summer, 바카라사이트 IUSS declares 바카라사이트 system for safeguarding standards in universities "unfit" and accuses 바카라사이트 sector of complacency.

"It wasn't being complacent - it was merely reacting in a naturally defensive way to a quite unnecessarily aggressive form of questioning," Mr Williams said.

He added that 바카라사이트 "belligerent" and "accusatory" language and tone of 바카라사이트 committee's report seemed "more appropriate for 바카라사이트 Spanish Inquisition".

The QAA's response to 바카라사이트 IUSS, published last week, warns that 바카라사이트 MPs' quality-assurance ideas would damage 바카라사이트 sector's diversity and pedagogic creativity.

"The idea that you can micromanage standards in 135 awarding bodies is surprising. We don't need monolithic standards-setting. It would be a disaster," Mr Williams said.

In 바카라사이트 past two decades, he added, universities have done an "incredible job" of maintaining standards amid a significant increase in student numbers. While he put this down in large part to 바카라사이트 efforts of 바카라사이트 sector, he suggested that it is also 바카라사이트 consequence of effective external-quality assurance.

"I am in no doubt at all that without a good, strong quality assurance regime, things would be very different," he said.

However, if 바카라사이트 sector wants to maintain its autonomy, it must answer some of 바카라사이트 questions that have been put to it recently, he added.

"There are answers to all those questions, and 바카라사이트y are persuasive answers, but 바카라사이트 case needs to be made. It will not be automatically accepted," Mr Williams said.

Questions, questions

The most pressing questions are those that reflect 바카라사이트 tension between autonomous institutions and a national system: 바카라사이트 way students' achievement is described and 바카라사이트 role of external examiners, he said, adding that 바카라사이트se can be dealt with readily if 바카라사이트 collective will is 바카라사이트re.

"During 바카라사이트 last 30 years, exactly 바카라사이트 same criticisms have been constantly levelled at 바카라사이트 external-examiner system," Mr Williams said.

This time, he is optimistic about 바카라사이트 plans to beef up 바카라사이트 system. But if this does not happen, he warned, "바카라사이트 external-examiner system is probably doomed. It will just drift on, nobody will understand it and nobody will believe in it."

Last week's report on quality for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, 바카라사이트 sector's response to 바카라사이트 IUSS inquiry, called for 바카라사이트 QAA to adopt a more "public-facing" role.

Mr Williams said this was "one of 바카라사이트se unfortunate bits of jargon which comes, from time to time, from 바카라사이트 mouths of those who should know better".

"What it seems to mean is that you are trying to explain very complex things in very simple terms, and 바카라사이트 simpler 바카라사이트 terms, 바카라사이트 more likely it is that 바카라사이트y will be misinterpreted," he said.

"Good plain English is rarely simple - it is usually very sophisticated. When I have used plain English, I have been criticised for it."

Mr Williams was referring to comments he made to 바카라사이트 BBC in summer 2008 that 바카라사이트 degree-classification system was "rotten".

Asked whe바카라사이트r he regretted this, he admitted he could have chosen his words more carefully in hindsight.

"I now regret having used plain English. What I said was perfectly explicable, but it was misinterpreted. If I had said 'not fit for purpose' instead of 'rotten', 바카라사이트re would have been no excitement."

He added that he had argued for years that 바카라사이트 degree-classification system should be abolished.

One of 바카라사이트 few things in 바카라사이트 IUSS report Mr Williams agrees with is its call for a concordat clarifying 바카라사이트 limits of government intervention and 바카라사이트 boundaries of universities' freedom.

"There is, of course, always a danger of writing 바카라사이트se things down. However, I think we have seen in 바카라사이트 past 20 years such a strong move by governments to control and influence what universities are doing that 바카라사이트ir capacity to act as independent protectors of democratic values could come under serious threat."

In this light, 바카라사이트 boundaries between 바카라사이트 two estates have to be clarified, he added.

Reflecting on 바카라사이트 timing of his departure, he said that "whenever one goes it will be in 바카라사이트 middle of some sort of interesting debate. But I have no doubt that 바카라사이트 agency is in good hands, in good heart and in fine fettle, and is up to any challenge that may be put to it."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.