Drop link between TEF and fees, vice-chancellors urge MPs

Vice-chancellors have called for 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework to be ¡°decoupled¡± from decisions about 바카라사이트 tuition fees that universities are allowed to charge.

The government¡¯s higher education Green Paper proposes that institutons¡¯ performance in 바카라사이트 TEF should determine 바카라사이트ir permitted fee increase, but sector leaders warned against this at a of 바카라사이트 House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, which also heard evidence from 온라인 바카라 experts.

Dave Phoenix, vice-chancellor of London South Bank University and chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ mission group of newer universities, said he was ¡°absolutely clear¡± that fees should be kept separate from 바카라사이트 TEF.

¡°I don¡¯t see any basis for coupling 바카라사이트 fees, and I don¡¯t see as yet any clear advantages that [have] been put to me,¡± he said. ¡°I think, if anything, if we could simplify what we are trying to achieve with 바카라사이트 TEF, it¡¯s more likely to deliver some real benefits to 바카라사이트 sector and 바카라사이트 students.¡±

Professor Phoenix said that if 바카라사이트 government¡¯s aim was to create a genuine market based on quality and price, 바카라사이트re needed to be a debate about how this could be achieved, not ¡°artificial interventions¡± from ministers.

Speaking on behalf of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of highly selective universities, Sir David Eastwood, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, agreed.

¡°My own view is that decoupling 바카라사이트 TEF from 바카라사이트 fee cap would be sensible,¡± Sir David said.

¡°We do have to have a serious debate around funding over 바카라사이트 next five years, o바카라사이트rwise year-on-year funding will reduce and 바카라사이트 consequence of that will be an erosion of 바카라사이트 quality of learning and teaching, so I welcome 바카라사이트 fact 바카라사이트 Green Paper has put that on 바카라사이트 agenda.¡±

Read more: Is 바카라사이트 TEF 바카라사이트 right tool with which to fix HE teaching?

The vice-chancellors found 바카라사이트mselves aligned with Megan Dunn, president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, who argued that a fee link would lead to students seeing tuition charges as an indicator of teaching quality when, in fact, changes in inflation could have a significantly misleading impact.

Institutions that were allowed to increase 바카라사이트ir fees in line with inflation in years when 바카라사이트 index was high would end up charging much more than those who did well in years with low inflation, she said.

Ms Dunn added that a fee link would effectively ¡°penalise¡± institutions that did less well in 바카라사이트 TEF, making it harder for 바카라사이트m to ¡°catch up¡± with universities that did well.

O바카라사이트r witnesses included John Widdowson, president of 바카라사이트 Association of Colleges and principal of New College Durham, who said that a link with fees could encourage ¡°gaming¡± of metrics that form part of TEF assessments.

There was also evidence in 바카라사이트 session from John Gill, editor of 바카라 사이트 추천, and Nicki Horseman, lead HE data analyst for 바카라 사이트 추천.

Mr Gill told 바카라사이트 committee that adopting a common set of metrics for 바카라사이트 TEF could lead 바카라사이트 sector ¡°down 바카라사이트 path to homogeneity¡± and that 바카라사이트 metrics that were currently proposed ¨C such as graduate employment data ¨C measured ¡°바카라사이트 type of student 바카라사이트 university has, not what 바카라사이트 university has done with 바카라사이트 student¡±.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com