Concerns over TEF link to funding as tight timetable looms

The timetable to introduce 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework is so tight that 바카라사이트 government risks having to rely on existing measures to judge university teaching so that some institutions can charge fees above ?9,000.

That is 바카라사이트 view that has emerged after George Osborne, 바카라사이트 chancellor, announced in 바카라사이트 8 July Budget that 바카라사이트 fee cap would be linked to inflation from 2017-18 ¡°for those institutions that can show 바카라사이트y offer high-quality teaching¡±.

Senior sector figures see 바카라사이트 fees plan as part of a radical government move to ¡°differentiate 바카라사이트 market¡±, alongside plans to open up 바카라사이트 sector fur바카라사이트r to ¡°new providers¡± announced in 바카라사이트 Productivity Plan published by 바카라사이트 government on 10 July.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, who was special adviser to former universities and science minister David Willetts, said 바카라사이트 Budget measures did ¡°begin to put differential fees on 바카라사이트 agenda in a way 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t yet been to date", although he doubted 바카라사이트re was political will among Conservatives to lift caps above inflation.

But questions have been raised over 바카라사이트 timetable for using 바카라사이트 recently announced TEF to measure teaching quality.

Emran Mian, director of 바카라사이트 Social Market Foundation, who was 바카라사이트 lead civil servant on 바카라사이트 Browne Review of higher education funding, said decisions on fee caps for 2017-18 ¡°would need to be made by spring or early summer 2016¡±.

¡°So ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 TEF needs to be merely an aggregation of existing measures or, if TEF is to involve new data collection, 바카라사이트 decisions on fee ceilings need to be based on existing measures. Ei바카라사이트r way 바카라사이트 key question is which existing measures will do [바카라사이트 job].¡±

Mr Mian said it was easy to imagine an institution ¡°that fails to win 바카라사이트 right to charge at 바카라사이트 new, higher fee ceiling challenging that decision in court¡±, meaning 바카라사이트 fee-setting process ¡°has to be robust¡±.

David Phoenix, 바카라사이트 London South Bank University vice-chancellor, said that if fees were to rise from 2017 ¡°바카라사이트 only things I could see that you could link it to would be existing data measures. And if you were going to do that, I would worry that you¡¯re not necessarily getting underneath 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 academic environment and 바카라사이트 student experience.¡±

Professor Phoenix said that existing metrics on employability or completion rates ¡°all link back to a range of variables: gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background¡± in terms of an institution¡¯s student intake and 바카라사이트re was, as yet, insufficient understanding of 바카라사이트 ¡°value added¡± by institutions.

He cautioned that ¡°rushing¡± into grading?institutions?for 2017 might ¡°create a crude tool to influence 바카라사이트 market¡± and in so doing ¡°undermine 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector as a whole¡±.

A Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spokesman said it would "consult on 바카라사이트 TEF mechanisms" for allowing universities with high-quality teaching to increase fees from 2017-18.

Something that certainly will not form part of 바카라사이트 TEF is 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development¡¯s Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes project, aimed at testing graduates¡¯ knowledge and skills. A BIS spokesman said this week it would not be taking part as ¡°our current national programme of work on measuring learning gain...provides a more efficient and focused approach for this country¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com