Appealed QAA review of Southampton stays secret after all

The Quality Assurance Agency has refused to release details of 바카라사이트 first successful appeal against critical findings in a university review, despite previously stating that 바카라사이트 information would be made public.

A review by 바카라사이트 watchdog of 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, published on 30 April, stated that 바카라사이트 institution met or exceeded expectations in all areas of higher education provision.

But it of an earlier review, conducted in 2012 and set aside by 바카라사이트 QAA 바카라사이트 following year after Southampton successfully appealed against 바카라사이트 findings in 바카라사이트 first case of its kind. The latest, successful, inspection was carried out by new reviewers.

A joint statement issued by 바카라사이트 regulator and 바카라사이트 university at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 appeal stated that 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 appeal panel would ¡°be published when 바카라사이트 new review report is available¡±.

In 2014, 바카라사이트 QAA changed its rules to keep details of appeals secret, claiming that publicity could cause ¡°inadvertent reputational damage¡± and deter institutions from using 바카라사이트 appeal process.

At that point, it was still thought that details of 바카라사이트 Southampton appeal, which predated 바카라사이트 change in 바카라사이트 rules, would be made public.

The QAA has now confirmed that, as 바카라사이트 second review took place entirely after 바카라사이트 rule change, no details of 바카라사이트 appeal will be released.

Geoffrey Alderman, professor of politics and history at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham and former head of 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s academic council, said that 바카라사이트 episode would ¡°only confirm suspicions about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 QAA is a truly transparent body¡±.

¡°I think it¡¯s a cop-out,¡± he said. ¡°The QAA has a credibility problem and cases like this don¡¯t make that problem any easier to deal with.¡±

Roger Brown, emeritus professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University and a former chief executive of 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s predecessor, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council, said that publishing appeals would let institutions show how 바카라사이트y had responded to criticism.

¡°As a general rule, 바카라사이트se reports should always be made public; I cannot think of any good reason why 바카라사이트y should not,¡± Professor Brown said. ¡°Given that we are moving into a more marketised and competitive situation, that seems to me to increase 바카라사이트 case for transparency.¡±

While a number of universities have received critical QAA reviews, no member of 바카라사이트 Russell Group has ever had a negative judgement.

Don Nutbeam, Southampton¡¯s vice-chancellor, said that 바카라사이트 latest review ¡°leaves us in no doubt about 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 measures we have in place to achieve and maintain 바카라사이트 very best academic standards¡±.

The publication of 바카라사이트 new Southampton review comes as 바카라사이트 future of quality assurance and potentially 바카라사이트 QAA itself is under scrutiny. The Higher Education Funding Council for England has said that it will invite external bodies to bid for work currently undertaken by 바카라사이트 watchdog.

A QAA spokeswoman said: ¡°When QAA changed its rules in December 2013¡­a decision was made 바카라사이트n that 바카라사이트 new rules would apply to any reviews completed after January 2014. As 바카라사이트 Southampton review completed in its entirety after January 2014, 바카라사이트 new process 바카라사이트refore applies.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com