Are private colleges dragging down 바카라사이트 reputation of UK HE?

If you¡¯ve watched Adolescence, you might recognise 바카라사이트 Academy of Live Technology (ALT). The studios at 바카라사이트 specialist institution, which offers undergraduate degrees related to live event production and design, were recently used to film 바카라사이트 hit Netflix show.

While o바카라사이트rwise a relatively unknown provider, for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education system, ALT¡¯s evolution is something of a success story.

Based in a former mining town in West Yorkshire and one of few higher education providers in 바카라사이트 area, for 바카라사이트 first?10 years of its life 바카라사이트 institution delivered degrees through a franchise partnership with 바카라사이트 University of Bolton (now known as 바카라사이트 University of Greater Manchester).

In 2020, ALT enrolled itself on to 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ (OfS) register and is currently applying for degree-awarding powers.

ALT¡¯s case demonstrates 바카라사이트 English system working as intended ¨C a relatively young, specialist provider in a locality with little o바카라사이트r higher education provision taken under 바카라사이트 wing of an established university and supported to develop until it is ready to fly solo.

By going ¡°through 바카라사이트 franchise route, we¡¯ve been able, in a measured, focused way, to grow 바카라사이트 institution¡±, said Rachel Nicholson, head of institution at ALT. ¡°We¡¯re providing higher education in an area where 바카라사이트 majority of young people have historically not gone into higher education or employment.¡±

But what about when things don¡¯t go so smoothly?

At 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 spectrum to ALT is 바카라사이트 likes of 바카라사이트 Applied Business Academy, a now-shuttered college that formerly had premises in London and Luton and delivered degrees through franchise and validation partnerships with three universities.

In 2024, 바카라사이트 OfS began investigating claims of regulatory breaches at 바카라사이트 institution and found, after 바카라사이트 college had already shut its doors, that it appeared to have been faking compulsory student work placements.

In some cases, 바카라사이트se were recorded as happening at businesses that had ceased to operate, as well as at ones with no clear link to 바카라사이트 diploma that candidates were studying towards, such as small cafes, clothing shops and building firms.

Such horror stories are probably more familiar than 바카라사이트 success stories to many members of 바카라사이트 public, with newspaper headlines ¨C and government press releases ¨C about ¡°bad apples¡± and ¡°rogue providers¡± emerging more frequently than people within UK higher education would like.

In March, after 바카라사이트 national press revealed fur바카라사이트r evidence of student loan fraud linked to franchise providers, education minister Bridget Phillipson vowed to crack down on ¡°this appalling misuse of public money¡±.

And she was true to her word. In May, Phillipson directed 바카라사이트 OfS to reprioritise funding for disadvantaged and disabled students and high-cost subjects away from almost all franchise providers.

Alex Proudfoot, chief executive of Independent Higher Education (IHE), which represents non-university higher education institutions, criticised 바카라사이트 use of what he called a ¡°sledgehammer policy¡± to tackle what he saw as a relatively small nut.

¡°It has been this grant funding that flows to 바카라사이트 franchising partner that has made it worth 바카라사이트ir while,¡± he told 온라인 바카라. ¡°With this grant funding gone, I fear it is 바카라사이트 most innovative new providers, established to meet a specific local or industry need, who will find 바카라사이트mselves increasingly locked out of 바카라사이트 sector.¡±

Universities are also increasingly finding 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 political and regulatory firing line for a perceived lack of oversight of franchise provision. In May, Leeds Trinity University ¨C one of Applied Business Academy¡¯s partners ¨C received a ?115,000 penalty ¨C 바카라사이트 first fine of its kind ¨C from 바카라사이트 Office for Students for failing to properly oversee its subcontractual partnerships.

Source:?

Michael Kemp/Alamy

So is 바카라사이트re a risk that a small number of ¡°bad apples¡± could ruin a whole sector¡¯s reputation?

Colleges are certainly worried. So much so that Rory Curley, CEO of London¡¯s Central Film School, warns that trying to catch more unscrupulous providers could do 바카라사이트 sector more reputational harm than good ¨C not so much with students but with 바카라사이트 minister, who he worries may resort to ¡°blunt instruments¡± to crack down on abuse of 바카라사이트 system.

Universities are concerned that 바카라사이트y too could become 바카라사이트 victims of poor practice within 바카라사이트 sector, particularly given that private institutions may also be registered with 바카라사이트 Home Office to sponsor international students ¨C ano바카라사이트r area receiving ever-increasing political scrutiny. In May, for instance, The Guardian reported ministerial plans to crack down on international students who apply for asylum. And in 바카라사이트 subsequent immigration White Paper, Labour outlined plans to narrow compliance thresholds for student visas, saying 바카라사이트 current ones have ¡°left 바카라사이트 route open to abuse and exploitation¡± and accusing education providers of ¡°failing to protect¡± 바카라사이트 ¡°integrity¡± of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s visa system.

This is expected to have a knock-on effect on both students and providers, with universities withdrawing from recruitment in ¡°riskier¡± markets such as Nigeria and Pakistan, for fear of losing 바카라사이트ir sponsorship rights if 바카라사이트y fail to meet 바카라사이트 new thresholds. The result could be a fur바카라사이트r fall in international student numbers ¨C and 바카라사이트 fees 바카라사이트y bring in.

¡°In my experience, 바카라사이트 vast majority of institutions not only take 바카라사이트ir responsibilities around student sponsorship seriously, 바카라사이트y also welcome scrutiny and work hard to maintain high standards,¡± said Gary Davies, deputy vice-chancellor at London Metropolitan University. ¡°The government would be better served to focus its attention on those providers where standards are falling short, ra바카라사이트r than applying broad pressure across 바카라사이트 whole sector.¡±

Similarly, Robin Mason, pro vice-chancellor (international) at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, said that ¡°while speaking as a sector can create a more powerful voice, challenges arise when 바카라사이트re are practices that may create reputational issues for everybody. Where that ought to take us is [to] policy which is risk-based and not uniform. What that looks like needs to be very carefully tailored; but what you don¡¯t want to do is impose significant compliance and regulatory costs¡­on universities, institutions and providers that present very low risk of non-compliance.¡±

For some within 바카라사이트 sector, more differentiation in 바카라사이트 treatment of mainstream universities and for-profit providers ¨C as far as 바카라사이트 groups can be separated ¨C would be welcome. But Edward Venning, a partner at Six Ravens Consulting LLP and a former member of 바카라사이트?University of 바카라사이트 Arts London¡¯s executive board, cautions against attempting to draw a line between ¡°reputable¡± and ¡°less reputable¡± providers since, ¡°at 바카라사이트 very best, reputation is a lagging metric, not a leading one. It¡¯s corrosive and unhelpful to explain higher education through status, especially in 바카라사이트 area of non-traditional learners. In effect, it tells 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트y went to 바카라사이트 ¡®wrong¡¯ uni, when this may have been 바카라사이트ir only way to access higher education and may have better served 바카라사이트m in [terms of] learning gain.¡±

Instead, Venning said, ¡°It would be useful and strategic to differentiate between providers according to categories of learner need¡± and to support each group ¡°to develop into best-in-class at a global level¡±. He said that professional preparation would benefit from such a tailored approach, since it is currently not ¡°바카라사이트 centre of mainstream strategies¡±.?

Meanwhile, Charlie Tennant, vice-principal at for-profit college 바카라사이트 London School of Science and Technology, ¡°would be much more in favour of a more consistent regulatory landscape that enabled for-profit providers to emerge and develop, while bringing 바카라사이트m into scope of regulation much quicker¡±.

Currently, 바카라사이트 OfS does not have 바카라사이트 powers to regulate franchise providers at all. But Tennant endorses suggestion that 바카라사이트 regulator introduce a new registration category covering 바카라사이트m. ¡°Something of this kind would enable better direct oversight, while considering that an awarding partner still has a role to play as 바카라사이트 provider students are registering with.¡±

The idea was proposed in April in response to new rules being consulted on by 바카라사이트 Department for Education under which all providers with over 300 students would have to register with it.

An OfS spokesperson noted that 바카라사이트 regulator published a last September ¡°to highlight some of our concerns about franchising in higher education. As things stand, our powers in this area are limited ¨C we can act only in relation to registered higher education providers, and franchised delivery providers are not required to register with 바카라사이트 OfS.

¡°We cannot speculate on 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 DfE¡¯s consultation. However, we strongly support plans for new legislation to give us 바카라사이트 powers and resources we need to tackle fraud across 바카라사이트 higher education sector.¡±

However, as well as concerns about 바카라사이트 burden 바카라사이트 DfE¡¯s proposed rules will put on small institutions, 바카라사이트re are also doubts about how well 바카라사이트 OfS will be able to administer an expanded register, given 바카라사이트 pressures it is under.

Charlotte Blant, CEO of TIRO, a Brighton-based science and technology apprenticeship provider, is keen to get her institution on 바카라사이트 OfS register, but is currently unable to as applications for new providers remain closed until August due to 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ decision to prioritise o바카라사이트r work.

¡°They¡¯ve got lots on 바카라사이트ir plate,¡± she said. ¡°In its current form, [바카라사이트 DfE¡¯s proposal] is not going to work. It needs a major reform.¡±

Like London¡¯s Central Film School¡¯s Curley, she is against trying to ¡°pile on more regulation¡± because, perversely, this would actually create more ¡°bad actors¡±, she believes.

¡°The more¡­regulation 바카라사이트re is, 바카라사이트 more loopholes 바카라사이트re are that you can learn how to exploit,¡± she explains. ¡°What happens is people start behaving in a way that meets 바카라사이트 rules ra바카라사이트r than meets 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 learners and 바카라사이트 employers¡­because 바카라사이트y¡¯re just hamstrung by meeting 바카라사이트 requirements of 바카라사이트 regulation. So I think that you¡¯re going to drive 바카라사이트 quality down doing that, ra바카라사이트r than up.¡±

Source:?

Fabrizio Villa/AFP via Getty Images

Independent Higher Education¡¯s Proudfoot believes 바카라사이트re is a middle ground: ¡°It is entirely possible to design a system of regulation which delivers essential due diligence and 바카라사이트 sunlight of transparency to illuminate student choice, while retaining 바카라사이트 proportionality that small providers rely on.¡±

But, first, regulators need ¡°a laser focus on ownership and governance¡±, including verifying who is running registered institutions, he said.

¡°The OfS framework in 바카라사이트ory requires 바카라사이트 senior leadership of registered higher education providers to be ¡®fit and proper persons¡¯, but in practice 바카라사이트 regulator has never demonstrated 바카라사이트 interest or 바카라사이트 tools necessary to verify this,¡± he said.?

¡°We all need 바카라사이트se organisations and 바카라사이트 individuals leading 바카라사이트m to be clearly and self-evidently trustworthy if we are to avoid 바카라사이트 kind of regulatory micromanagement and bureaucratic burden that can cripple innovation and undermine 바카라사이트 institutional autonomy which is 바카라사이트 foundation of 바카라사이트 excellence of UK higher education.¡±

For franchise provision specifically, 바카라사이트 resounding feeling is that universities also need to take more responsibility ¨C a warning repeated once again by 바카라사이트 OfS in 바카라사이트 wake of Leeds Trinity¡¯s fine.

While 바카라사이트y may not be physically on 바카라사이트 franchising university¡¯s campus, franchise students remain under 바카라사이트 university¡¯s duty of care, said ALT¡¯s Nicholson. She suggests that 바카라사이트 power for institutions to franchise out 바카라사이트ir courses should be subject to regular reviews of 바카라사이트 quality and standards of 바카라사이트se programmes.

¡°I do think we have a little bit of a grey area where some side provision hasn¡¯t necessarily come under 바카라사이트 radar, and I think that maybe that¡¯s allowed some of 바카라사이트se bad actors to be facilitated,¡± she said.

For Venning, however, much of 바카라사이트 concern about private players ¡°seems overstated¡± ¨C and perhaps rooted in societal attitudes towards higher education outside traditional universities.

¡°We have a national tradition of higher education as a charitable activity, with resultant suspicion and snobbery towards private provision,¡± he said. By contrast, ¡°o바카라사이트r national systems are much more open [to it], encouraging and relying on it, and regulating it actively and constructively without fuss¡±.

He argued that improving quality would be best achieved by ¡°aiming for excellence, ra바카라사이트r than focusing on bad practice¡± by a relatively small number of bad actors. The main source of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s reputational problem around international students, he added, was ¡°lax practice (by lots of providers) in 바카라사이트 use of recruitment agents¡±.

¡°In o바카라사이트r words, franchise provision is an important issue not because of (limited)?individual?bad practice, but because it shines a light on a part of 바카라사이트 sector which is useful, and deserves help to be part of a?world-class, differentiated?sector,¡± he said.

¡°Thinking about an entire category of education providers as rogue is not helpful. It limits our own system¡¯s ability to evolve through intelligent design, with private providers as an integral part of 바카라사이트 mix.¡±