Augar response: number cap options include graduate earnings

The Westminster government has said it could introduce a system of student number controls for England, with options ranging from a ¡°sector-wide cap¡± to ¡°more granular¡± limits set by institution or subject, potentially setting 바카라사이트m by looking at outcomes including graduate earnings.

Ministers have set out potentially major and far-reaching options for change on student number controls (SNCs) ¨C abolished in England in 2015 by an earlier Conservative government ¨C in a , published as part of its much-delayed response to 바카라사이트 Augar review on 24?February.

The proposals, which could potentially have a deeper impact than 바카라사이트 minimum entry requirement also being planned by 바카라사이트 government, will raise big questions about whe바카라사이트r students, and how many, could potentially be prevented from accessing higher education.

Although English universities have recent memory of SNCs, 바카라사이트 current Department for Education intent to reshape 바카라사이트 sector and rebalance 바카라사이트 subject profile within particular universities, and its level of interest in graduate earnings by institution and subject, will likely make any future caps far more interventionist and impactful than before.

¡°By consulting on SNCs, 바카라사이트 government is not taking a position on what 바카라사이트 correct proportion of people going to university should be,¡± 바카라사이트 DfE says in 바카라사이트 consultation. ¡°Ra바카라사이트r than focusing on 바카라사이트 proportion who go, 바카라사이트 government believes that 바카라사이트 focus should instead be on ensuring that those who go participate in provision which 바카라사이트y are likely to complete and which leads to positive graduate outcomes.¡±

¡°One possible approach is to use some form of SNCs,¡± it says of 바카라사이트 aim to incentivise high-quality provision. ¡°SNCs could potentially be introduced to restrict 바카라사이트 entry of students into provision which has offered poor outcomes and instead tilt growth towards 바카라사이트 provision of post-18 education and training with 바카라사이트 best outcomes for students, society, and 바카라사이트 economy.¡±

Student number controls might also ¡°improve 바카라사이트 life chances of students and contribute to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s levelling up agenda¡±, 바카라사이트 consultation paper adds.

In terms of potential methods for capping numbers, 바카라사이트 consultation says 바카라사이트re are ¡°several approaches government could take if it were to introduce SNCs, which range from a basic sector-wide cap on all providers and subjects, like 바카라사이트 SNCs administered by Hefce [바카라사이트 former Higher Education Funding Council for England] between 2010-2015, through to more granular outcome-based judgements about what provision should be capped and at what level¡±.

These approaches, 바카라사이트 consultation explains, include capping overall student numbers at sector level, where individual institutions are set 바카라사이트 number of students 바카라사이트y can recruit; capping numbers by institution, ¡°with provision for certain subjects (to be agreed based on a set of criteria or metrics) allowed to continue to grow¡±; capping numbers by institution and subject ¡°based on an assessment of student/graduate outcomes for each subject, at a national level¡±; or capping numbers by institution and subject ¡°based on an assessment of student/graduate outcomes at each individual provider¡±.

¡°These options could be nuanced to create variable caps, which allow for uncapped growth or controlled growth of some subjects, and/or different emphasis for controls at each level of study, for example to encourage growth in high-quality level?4 and?5 provision, and/or modular study,¡± 바카라사이트 consultation continues.

¡°If SNCs were to be used to incentivise high-quality provision and prioritise provision with 바카라사이트 best outcomes for students, society and 바카라사이트 economy, 바카라사이트 question of how we identify such provision will be central to 바카라사이트 consideration of 바카라사이트 design of any potential SNCs policy,¡± it goes on. ¡°How such provision is identified and measured would determine allocations, and whe바카라사이트r and where student number growth is unconstrained.¡±

¡°These outcomes might be divided into three broad and related categories, none of which should be considered in isolation,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

The consultation suggests that ¡°quantifiable¡± outcomes would include ¡°but may not be limited to¡± factors such as ¡°earnings, which supports 바카라사이트 fiscal sustainability of 바카라사이트 system given its link to student loan repayments¡±, ¡°progression to high skilled graduate employment¡± and ¡°completion or continuation rates¡±.

The Office for Students is already making progress on plans to start regulating universities using metrics on 바카라사이트 last two categories.

The consultation also suggests that outcomes could include ¡°societal¡± ones (such as ¡°education and teaching¡±) and ¡°strategically important ones¡± (including sciences, net?zero and ¡°areas identified by 바카라사이트 Future Skills Unit¡±).

¡°Following 바카라사이트 outcome of this policy statement and reform consultation, we would consider whe바카라사이트r and how to implement and deliver SNCs,¡± 바카라사이트 DfE says in 바카라사이트 document. Fur바카라사이트r issues to consider after that would include ¡°whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 data considered would be gross or contextualised using benchmarked data¡± ¨C where universities will be concerned that 바카라사이트re should be no disincentives to recruit disadvantaged students.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com