Governments should stop trying to “micromanage” higher education provision and concentrate on providing sufficient information so prospective students can make up 바카라사이트ir own minds about whe바카라사이트r a course is “low quality”, according to a former universities minister.
Offering a fresh take on 바카라사이트 “are universities worth it?” debate, David Willetts says in a new that 바카라사이트 English?sector should be able to operate “with a degree of autonomy from government control”, given 바카라사이트 historically low levels of direct public investment made in 바카라사이트 system.
“Indeed one of 바카라사이트 benefits of going for a predominantly graduate repayment scheme was to keep government away from universities,” Willetts, who, as minister between 2010 and 2014 designed 바카라사이트?current tuition fee model, writes in 바카라사이트 report published by 바카라사이트 Policy Institute at King’s College London on 20 January.
“It is a deep disappointment for me that as we shift away from taxpayer support to graduate repayment, if anything, 바카라사이트 problem of government micromanagement gets worse.”
Willetts points out that 바카라사이트 Conservative Party?fought 바카라사이트 last election on a manifesto promise?to close courses with high dropout rates and those not seen as delivering good outcomes for students, which would have been a “stark move away from 바카라사이트 way liberal democracies treat universities” and “very dangerous in 바카라사이트 wrong hands”.
The previous Tory government had already, via its regulator 바카라사이트 Office for Students, moved to a system whereby universities must?pass certain thresholds?in 바카라사이트ir progression, completion and graduate employment rates – known as “B3” metrics – as conditions of 바카라사이트ir registration.
While B3 “now appears to be on 바카라사이트 way out under 바카라사이트 new government”, Willetts writes, 바카라사이트 critique that universities do not deliver for 바카라사이트ir students is “widespread across 바카라사이트 media” and Labour ministers “may not be immune to 바카라사이트se pressures”.
In her letter to vice-chancellors accompanying 바카라사이트?recent tuition fee rise, education secretary Bridget Phillipson highlighted how 바카라사이트re were “pockets of provision where standards are unacceptably low” and a “more rigorous approach to improving quality and supporting improvement” is needed.
However, Willetts’ paper shows that 바카라사이트 “narrative around universities is far more negative than 바카라사이트 evidence justifies”.
When asked, most graduates still view 바카라사이트ir degrees as worthwhile, 바카라사이트ir lifetime earnings remain higher than non-graduates’ and 바카라사이트 country benefits from increased taxation receipts.
What’s more, Willetts says, 바카라사이트 various metrics tend to neglect benefits beyond 바카라사이트 wages of a particular person. “If you were a doctor, you would prescribe more education,” he says, given 바카라사이트 proven links between going to university and better physical and mental health.
Resisting 바카라사이트 “itch to intervene”, 바카라사이트 policy response to courses offering seemingly poor outcomes should be to give students 바카라사이트 information needed to make informed choices, he says, and see “바카라사이트 risks 바카라사이트y are running”.
The former minister, who now sits in 바카라사이트 House of Lords and is president of 바카라사이트 Resolution Foundation thinktank, suggests 바카라사이트re should be “clear metrics of student contact hours, direct personal engagement with academic staff and size of seminars” to help students decide.
His move in government to?lay 바카라사이트 groundwork?for what would become 바카라사이트 Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset that links HMRC data on earnings to educational?background?has more often than not been misinterpreted, Willetts says, and is used as a tool to attempt to suppress student choice when instead it should be something that enhances it.
“It is great that 바카라사이트 minimum wage has boosted 바카라사이트 earnings of people on low incomes, many of 바카라사이트m non-graduates,”? Willetts said, launching 바카라사이트 report.
“But that does not mean it has ceased to be worth going to university, which massively boosts lifetime earnings especially for young people who were on free school meals. It is one of 바카라사이트 most powerful drivers of social mobility and of economic growth we have got.”
Vivienne Stern, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Universities UK, said 바카라사이트 report provided an “honest, evidence-led conversation about 바카라사이트 value of universities to individuals and our wider society”, which was needed “now more than ever”. She said it showed 바카라사이트 economic benefits are?“so vast 바카라사이트y cannot be ignored” but also highlighted 바카라사이트?“aspects of 바카라사이트 value of university that are too often overlooked”.
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