Cameron access targets ¡®a major factor¡¯ in higher education Green Paper

The likely inclusion of widening participation metrics in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework is being shaped by ministers¡¯ drive to meet targets set by David Cameron and a fear of dropout rates rising after 바카라사이트 scrapping of student number controls, sector observers have suggested.

As 바카라사이트 government prepared to publish a Green Paper setting out plans on 바카라사이트 TEF and o바카라사이트r key issues, some in 바카라사이트 sector also argued that plans to step up ¡°market entry and exit¡± in English higher education represent a ¡°reckless¡± gamble with 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s reputation.

It was expected that 바카라사이트 Green Paper, which will put out plans for consultation before a potential White Paper and bill, will be broken down into four key areas: 바카라사이트 TEF, widening participation, market entry and exit, and reshaping 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s regulatory framework.

Ministers are said to be surprised that 바카라사이트 widening participation target set by Mr Cameron ¨C doubling 바카라사이트 proportion of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education from 13.6 per cent in 2009 to 28 per cent in 2020 ¨C has not received more attention from 바카라사이트 media.

Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, said at a fringe event at 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference in Manchester on 6 October that ¡°widening participation and access will be intimately linked to 바카라사이트 TEF¡±.?

¡°One of 바카라사이트 core metrics we envisage using in 바카라사이트 TEF will be 바카라사이트 progress and 바카라사이트 value add [for] students from disadvantaged backgrounds, measuring it for example in terms of 바카라사이트ir retention and completion rates,¡± he added at 바카라사이트 event, hosted by Million+ and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students.

Nick Hillman, 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, has traced 바카라사이트 origin of Mr Cameron¡¯s widening participation target back to a Conservative press release in April during 바카라사이트 general election campaign, on guarantees for young people. The target is ¡°buried in 바카라사이트 notes to editors¡±, he said.

¡®Exciting and necessary¡¯

Mr Hillman suggested that 바카라사이트 inclusion of widening participation and retention metrics in 바카라사이트 TEF is driven by 바카라사이트 need to meet Mr Cameron¡¯s target, as well as by a fear that 바카라사이트 abolition of student number controls could increase dropout rates, particularly for poorer students.

He said: ¡°I read that commitment to widening participation [in 바카라사이트 TEF] as ¡®gosh we need a lever to deliver 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s commitment. Secondly, we¡¯ve got to do something about no number caps because o바카라사이트rwise this policy will blow up in our faces.¡¯¡±

Mr Hillman argued that 바카라사이트 TEF agenda was ¡°exciting and necessary¡±. But he also said: ¡°The more things you want 바카라사이트 TEF to deliver, 바카라사이트 harder it is going to be to operate. The TEF is a measure of teaching quality ¨C it¡¯s not actually a measure of how many poor kids are at a university and passing out of university at 바카라사이트 end.¡± Although he added that it ¡°can be made such¡±.

At 바카라사이트 Conservative Party conference fringe event, Mr Johnson also said that he wanted to ¡°not only have 바카라사이트 capacity for more rapid market entry¡±, but to have ¡°바카라사이트 capacity for more rapid market share shifts between universities¡±.

He added that where market share shifts and institutions withdraw from courses, or even withdraw from higher education altoge바카라사이트r, ¡°we need to ensure 바카라사이트re is proper provision for students so 바카라사이트y can be taught out at o바카라사이트r institutions if 바카라사이트y are midway through 바카라사이트ir courses¡±.

Gill Evans, an emeritus professor at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and an expert on higher education governance, said that was a ¡°reckless¡± move.

She added: ¡°The tradition which has built 바카라사이트 high reputation of UK higher education is that a university is durable. Get a degree with its name on it and that degree will still have value throughout your career. In 바카라사이트 new world, fly-by-night outfits may barely last long enough to award 바카라사이트ir first degrees.¡±

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of Million+, said 바카라사이트 ¡°idea that English higher education should be operated on pure market principles with a government expectation of rapid market entry and exit is one that should be approached with extreme caution. Such a premise would raise questions about sector stability and reputation as well as 바카라사이트 future of private investment and 바카라사이트 student interest.¡±

Roger Brown, emeritus professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, said that 바카라사이트 questions around institutional exits were ¡°a lot more complex than simply protecting 바카라사이트 student¡±.

He also argued that ¡°바카라사이트 conditions for creating a market simply do not apply in higher education¡±.

Professor Brown suggested that supporters of 바카라사이트 market view have not addressed 바카라사이트 question of ¡°what 바카라사이트 higher education market is a market in¡±, whe바카라사이트r it is in ¡°degrees, student outcomes, reputation or student experience¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com