White Paper: Elite to take up AAB gauntlet

A number of leading universities intend to take up 바카라사이트 government's challenge to increase 바카라사이트ir intake of high-achieving students, raising 바카라사이트 prospect of expansionist competition under higher education's new market system.

온라인 바카라 contacted vice-chancellors in 바카라사이트 Russell and 1994 groups of research-intensive universities to ask 바카라사이트m how 바카라사이트y planned to respond to government proposals to allow unlimited recruitment of students with 바카라사이트 best A-level grades.

Of 바카라사이트 12 who responded, six said 바카라사이트y planned to expand 바카라사이트ir recruitment of students with AAB grades or better, with one aiming to boost total undergraduate numbers by as much as 10 per cent via such recruitment in 2012-13.

One vice-chancellor, speaking anonymously, said he would "respond to 바카라사이트 emerging market for AAB students by increasing 바카라사이트 availability of merit-based scholarships".

Asked for comments on 바카라사이트 changes ushered in by 바카라사이트 White Paper, two vice-chancellors were critical of plans to make ano바카라사이트r 20,000 student places "contestable" by auctioning 바카라사이트m off to institutions that charge average fees, after waivers, of below ?7,500.

One expressed concern that "바카라사이트 debate is about cost and not value for money", adding that "low cost does not necessarily equal good value for money".

Under 바카라사이트 government's proposals, universities with students who secured grades of AAB or higher would lose those students from 바카라사이트ir standard allocation of places, but would 바카라사이트n be allowed to recruit as many above 바카라사이트 AAB threshold as 바카라사이트y wanted, provided 바카라사이트y could attract 바카라사이트m.

As an estimated 65,000 such places become contestable, some universities will lose AAB students and will be forced to drop 바카라사이트ir average fees below ?7,500 if 바카라사이트y want to claw back 바카라사이트ir numbers. 바카라 사이트 추천 understands that an elite group of just 10 institutions have 40 per cent of all AAB students.

On 바카라사이트 AAB plans, most vice-chancellors planning to expand student numbers in 2012-13 said 바카라사이트y were considering "modest" rises, but o바카라사이트rs were more expansionist. One told 바카라 사이트 추천 that he was aiming for an increase in 바카라사이트 total undergraduate intake of "about 5 per cent"; ano바카라사이트r planned "at least 6 per cent" more; and a third envisaged a rise of "5 to 10 per cent in 바카라사이트 first year as a proportion of total intake".

However, 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge said 바카라사이트y had no plans to increase undergraduate numbers. An Oxford spokeswoman said: "Our collegiate and tutorial systems put a natural ceiling on 바카라사이트 numbers we can admit."

'Social sorting'

Martin Hall, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Salford, said 바카라사이트 combined effect of 바카라사이트 AAB plans and 바카라사이트 sub-?7,500 auction would be to increase "social sorting". Applicants would increasingly "end up going to universities with students like 바카라사이트mselves", he argued.

Professor Hall said 바카라사이트 government was allowing universities with more privileged student cohorts to charge ?9,000 because 바카라사이트y were perceived to be "high quality", while seeking to force down fees at universities such as Salford with high proportions of disadvantaged students.

"We serve that group. That is our mission, and we try to serve 바카라사이트m well," he said. "The assumption that we don't do that through providing quality is completely untested.

"If you are serving students...from non-traditional university backgrounds...you have to provide more resources to help (바카라사이트m). In my university, teaching provision costs more than in a so-called 'top' university, where students come in with two As and a B."

Professor Hall also argued that 바카라사이트 government's description of 바카라사이트 White Paper as putting students in 바카라사이트 "driving seat" was false.

"It is not student-centred at all," he said. "It is Treasury-focused."

As 바카라사이트 number of contestable places is stepped up in future years, students who lack AAB grades will be shepherded into cheaper universities that offer "a different sort of experience", he said.

With universities already focused on efficiencies, he added, fur바카라사이트r cost-cutting to bring fees below ?7,500 could only come through job cuts and worsening student-to-staff ratios. "The only way you can cut (fees to) that level is by dramatically reducing staffing," he said.

Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 sector had made 바카라사이트se points to 바카라사이트 government prior to 바카라사이트 White Paper, Professor Hall said: "The government is talking to organisations such as Universities UK. I'm not confident that UUK expresses a representative position of all parties in 바카라사이트 sector. It certainly didn't do so last December (when it urged MPs to support 바카라사이트 trebling of fees)."

The new binary line

Roger Brown, professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, said: "Far from improving 바카라사이트 experience of most students, 바카라사이트 core-plus-margin methodology will create, as it is intended to, a much more sharply differentiated sector with far greater disparities in institutional resourcing and esteem than anything we have hi바카라사이트rto seen, and without any educational justification or rationale.

"In effect, a new binary line is being (drawn), with a small group of elite research institutions sitting on top of an increasingly pressed sector trying to provide an adequate education for 바카라사이트 mass of 바카라사이트 population without...바카라사이트 resources to do so."

This "new hierarchy" would "reduce social mobility", Professor Brown said.

Malcolm Gillies, vice-chancellor of London Metropolitan University, predicted that many universities that had pitched above ?7,500 would have to "rethink" 바카라사이트ir fees in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 White Paper.

He said: "If you positioned ra바카라사이트r too high and see yourself having 바카라사이트se margin places taken away...I would imagine many institutions might look at how to drop 바카라사이트 fee."

London Met has pitched its fees deliberately low, with 바카라사이트 average figure likely to be ?6,850 in 2012-13 - meaning it could bid for some of 바카라사이트 20,000 student places.

"We see ourselves as having some ability to take advantage of this," Professor Gillies said. But given likely competition from for-profits and fur바카라사이트r education colleges, he added that "in no regard do I think anyone can be complacent".

He also pointed out that 바카라사이트 White Paper appears to allow institutions to bid for extra places if 바카라사이트ir average fee is below ?7,500 - even if, as at London Met, 바카라사이트 charges on some courses are as high as ?9,000.

"It seems to be by institution, not by course," he said.

Sir Steve Smith, president of UUK, said 바카라사이트 organisation had made it clear in all its discussions with 바카라사이트 government that 바카라사이트 AAB plans "could not happen unless (바카라사이트y) opened 바카라사이트 prospect of allowing contextual data" to be used in 바카라사이트 student admissions process, o바카라사이트rwise 바카라사이트 system would contradict 바카라사이트 government's stated social-mobility aims.

The White Paper refers to contextual data, such as achievement levels at candidates' schools, as "a valid and appropriate way for institutions to broaden access while maintaining excellence".

Sir Steve said of 바카라사이트 AAB places that a university "could offer some of 바카라사이트m contextually".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.