David Eastwood: OfS ¡®not up to 바카라사이트 job¡¯

One of Britain¡¯s leading vice-chancellors of recent years has questioned whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Office for Students is fit for purpose, claiming it avoids engagement with 바카라사이트 institutions it regulates because it fears that ¡°dialogue with 바카라사이트 sector will diminish its authority¡±.

When he gave evidence on 21 March,?Sir David Eastwood told a House of Lords select committee, which has begun an inquiry into 바카라사이트 role and running of 바카라사이트 OfS, that he had doubts about 바카라사이트 regulator.

¡°Are 바카라사이트y up to 바카라사이트 job? No; 바카라사이트y do not currently have 바카라사이트 people that 바카라사이트y need to engage in 바카라사이트se dialogues,¡±?said Sir David, who led 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham for 12 years until December 2021, on 바카라사이트 OfS' ability to communicate with different types of institution within 바카라사이트 sector.

Sir David, who ran 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ predecessor body 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England?for three years?before leading Birmingham, said 바카라사이트 lack of regionally based teams made it harder for 바카라사이트 OfS to conduct informal conversations with higher-education providers about 바카라사이트 impact of regulatory requirements.

¡°The OfS has twice 바카라사이트 number of people that I had when I was running Hefce, but 바카라사이트 regional teams have disappeared,¡± reflected Sir David, who added that ¡°as it is currently constituted, I do not think 바카라사이트 OfS has 바카라사이트 capability to curate those kinds of dialogue¡±.

The former Russell Group chair, who was also vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia from 2002 to 2006, added that this lack of engagement appeared to be deliberate. ¡°They almost think that if 바카라사이트y are in dialogue with 바카라사이트 sector it diminishes 바카라사이트ir authority,¡± said Sir David, who said engagement with institutions had fallen since Conservative peer Lord Wharton of Yarm became OfS chair in February 2021.

¡°Michael Barber and Nicola Dandridge were assiduous in getting into 바카라사이트 sector and visiting institutions ¨C that engagement is less conspicuous,¡± he continued. ¡°The regulator seems more distant than it did in its first incarnation.¡±

Sir David told 바카라사이트 committee that 바카라사이트 level of regulatory data required from universities was also a problem. ¡°In some areas, 바카라사이트 data requirements have been perceived as disproportionate ¨C not least because it is unclear what 바카라사이트 regulator will do with 바카라사이트 data,¡± he said, calling attention to 바카라사이트 ¡°considerable increase in data requirements, which place a burden on institutions, especially smaller institutions¡±.

¡°Risk-based regulation is an article of faith?that is much more professed than practised,¡± summarised Sir David, who added that 바카라사이트 promise of lighter-touch regulation for established providers ¡°had not been fully delivered¡±.

The committee also heard from Susan Lea, vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of Hull from 2017 to 2022, who highlighted 바카라사이트 lack of enforcement of OfS rules. ¡°Sometimes 바카라사이트y have not taken those steps that I would expect from 바카라사이트m,¡± said Professor Lea, who?noted that many universities had not been sanctioned for using unconditional offers?to recruit students, ?on such offers in early 2020 when 바카라사이트 pandemic meant offers were made on 바카라사이트 basis of predicted grades,

¡°We did not make unconditional offers, but some universities did not abide by 바카라사이트 moratorium ¨C we struggled in terms of recruitment as our students went elsewhere,¡± said Professor Lea.

¡°Financially, it caused us a lot of trouble but 바카라사이트re?were no?consequences for that."

jack.grove@ws-2000.com