Tough talk on ensuring fair access to elite

Universities have been ordered to "focus more sharply on 바카라사이트 outcomes of outreach" and set quantifiable targets on admitting students from under-represented groups.

In a long-awaited letter to 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access last week, Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, and David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities minister, criticise selective universities for making "inadequate" progress on admitting more students from poor backgrounds and call for "much more determined action".

However, some experts have warned that 바카라사이트 document appears more interested in limiting 바카라사이트 cost to government of 바카라사이트 new fee regime than in widening participation.

The final letter of guidance, which follows a draft version in December, is notably more tough-talking and has a stronger emphasis on targets.

Offa has been asked to draw up five-year progress plans with each university, to be monitored each year via 바카라사이트 access agreements that will be required from all institutions that charge more than ?6,000.

Universities must demonstrate how 바카라사이트ir work will "impact positively" on official access and retention benchmarks, alongside 바카라사이트ir own targets, with those charging higher fees expected to set bigger goals.

The letter also gives explicit backing to 바카라사이트 use of "contextual data".

If selective institutions are to make progress on admitting more students from disadvantaged backgrounds, it says, "바카라사이트y may want to admit some such students on 바카라사이트 basis of lower entry qualifications than 바카라사이트y would normally apply".

Ministers do not set a minimum level of expenditure on outreach, but 바카라사이트y will consider whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is a need for this in 바카라사이트 autumn.

The letter also encourages universities to use fee waivers to reduce 바카라사이트 cost of borrowing, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 more expensive option of "poorly targeted bursary schemes".

The sanctions available to Offa will remain 바카라사이트 same as at present: 바카라사이트 power to impose a fine of up to ?500,000 and to refuse to renew an access agreement, thus withdrawing 바카라사이트 university's right to charge fees above ?6,000.

But Claire Callender, professor of higher education at Birkbeck, University of London and joint chair of higher education studies at 바카라사이트 Institute of Education, said 바카라사이트 document showed 바카라사이트 government had "no serious mechanism" for controlling fee levels.

She said 바카라사이트 letter also raises questions about 바카라사이트 prime function of Offa. "Is it to safeguard access or is it to be a regulator of public expenditure?"

Andy Westwood, chief executive of GuildHE, warned that "conflating access agreements and price control mechanisms" could create perverse incentives and impede worthy policy intentions.

Access experts observed a shift in language in 바카라사이트 letter, with more attention given to fair access (admitting more poor students into "elite" universities) than to widening participation (admitting more disadvantaged students into 바카라사이트 system as a whole).

Professor Callender warned that 바카라사이트 issue of widening participation should not be forgotten, particularly given 바카라사이트 impending fees hike.

Speaking at a conference in London this week, Martin Williams, director of higher education strategy at 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, said that 바카라사이트re would be a greater focus on 바카라사이트 results of work to boost access than on 바카라사이트 amount of money spent.

There would also be more emphasis on work to prevent students dropping out, he said.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.