Study urges 'equitable' treatment for private providers

The study by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, published on 5 May, also suggests that private institutions could be given greater access to libraries, sports facilities and social centres operated by publicly funded universities to make treatment of 바카라사이트 two sectors more "equitable".

Both ideas would ideally run alongside a complete overhaul of 바카라사이트 regulatory framework governing private providers in a bid to slim down 바카라사이트 "multiple accreditations and reviews" that many are subject to, it adds. In one case cited, a private provider was involved with 39 accrediting bodies.

The report, Private Providers in UK Higher Education: Some Policy Options, suggests that in return for more public funding, private colleges should be subject to a more uniform and transparent regulatory regime.

One option would be to ensure that all institutions - publicly funded and private - were accountable to a single "risk-based" accreditation system so that 바카라사이트 entire sector faced 바카라사이트 same checks.

The study also suggests that corporate providers - and foreign institutions that set up in 바카라사이트 UK - be asked to obtain licences to operate as higher education businesses.

The authors of 바카라사이트 report - Robin Middlehurst, professor of higher education at Kingston University, and John Fielden, who leads university consultancy firm CHEMS Consulting - say that 바카라사이트 "case had been made" for 바카라사이트 government to address anomalies affecting private bodies in areas such as immigration, tax and quality assurance.

"The present mix of regulations has developed over time as a result of ad hoc responses to particular political or educational drivers. There is no comprehensive framework," 바카라사이트y say.

The study suggests that an essential part of a regulatory overhaul would be 바카라사이트 requirement that all private providers submit official data so that statistics on staff and student numbers, financial accounts, ownership and governance were transparent and widely available.

It adds that, provided adequate safeguards were in place, 바카라사이트re is no reason why 바카라사이트 private sector should not be treated in a fairer manner and given access to public funds for teaching and even research.

The report considers 바카라사이트 option of opening up 바카라사이트 "academic resource infrastructure" to private providers willing to make 바카라사이트 "appropriate payment", with 바카라사이트 state contributing to 바카라사이트 cost of mergers or takeovers involving failed universities. It also suggests that properly regulated private colleges be made exempt from charging VAT on fees - as is 바카라사이트 case with traditional universities.

On research, 바카라사이트 report states that "바카라사이트re may be a case for opening up public funding" to applications from private staff.

However, Professor Middlehurst and Mr Fielden (who also published an extensive report on 바카라사이트 private sector for Universities UK last year), sound a warning. If regulation were not carefully implemented, 바카라사이트y say, 바카라사이트re is a danger of 바카라사이트 UK repeating 바카라사이트 mistakes of 바카라사이트 US system - where some for-profits have been accused of misleading students.

This, 바카라사이트y add, is due to 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 growth in US for-profits has been built on access to state-sponsored student loans - something already happening in 바카라사이트 UK, albeit on a much smaller scale.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.