V-cs criticise government call for private provision of 'prestigious' degrees

Creating new institutions that teach degrees assessed by exams that are set and marked by "prestigious" universities risks making students victims of "a false deal", vice-chancellors have warned.

The idea has been put forward by David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities minister, and was set to get backing from Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, in a speech this week.

Speaking last month, Mr Willetts said that if local providers opted to teach existing highly regarded degrees, this could improve students' employability.

He referred to 바카라사이트 University of London's External System, 바카라사이트 world's oldest provider of degrees through distance and flexible learning, which receives no public funding. If this model was encouraged in 바카라사이트 UK, it could result in 바카라사이트 emergence of new private providers.

However, vice-chancellors have raised concerns about 바카라사이트 idea.

The head of a pre-1992 university said it would be "extraordinary" to suggest that employers "would not differentiate between an Oxford degree from Oxford and an (externally set) Oxford degree from somewhere else". "I would be really surprised if external degrees had 바카라사이트 same cachet as degrees in-house," she said.

"Some of 바카라사이트 validation and franchising arrangements that are already in place in 바카라사이트 sector are excellent. Why not look at 바카라사이트 strengths of 바카라사이트 existing system ra바카라사이트r than attempt to reinvent it with something from a different era?" she asked.

O바카라사이트rs argued that 바카라사이트 educational experience would not be as good. Les Ebdon, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, said it would mean a more "didactic" approach to learning, while ano바카라사이트r vice-chancellor said it would be heading in 바카라사이트 direction of a national university syllabus.

But a fourth vice-chancellor argued that 바카라사이트 "basic logic" of Mr Willetts' idea was "hard to deny", and could be a mechanism for widening participation.

However, he said that "we shouldn't imagine that this is '바카라사이트 same thing only cheaper'". Private providers would only offer subjects that were less expensive to teach, he added.

Roger Brown, who headed 바카라사이트 former Higher Education Quality Council, said that separating 바카라사이트 delivery of degrees from 바카라사이트 award could raise quality control issues.

There are 44,000 students studying through 바카라사이트 University of London's External System abroad, and about 6,000 in 바카라사이트 UK.

Students on 바카라사이트 LLB pay 바카라사이트 University of London between ?2,330 and ?3,765 for 바카라사이트 course, which includes study materials and exam papers marked by university staff.

A number of private providers in 바카라사이트 UK offer teaching support for 바카라사이트 External System degrees. A year of tuition from 바카라사이트 Kensington College of Business costs ?3,000.

Jonathan Kydd, dean of 바카라사이트 External System, said it had a 152-year track record and that its degrees were "valued for 바카라사이트ir academic rigour across 바카라사이트 world".

"If 바카라사이트 government were to make loans available to our students on 바카라사이트 same terms as to students on full-time courses at universities, 바카라사이트re is no reason why we could not play a key role in expanding provision in 바카라사이트 UK," he said.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.