England¡¯s new access chief ¡®must be public champion¡¯

England¡¯s new university access tsar must be a ¡°strong public advocate¡± for 바카라사이트 widening participation agenda in higher education, a leading sector expert has said.

As Chris Millward was named as 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ first director for fair access and participation, Graeme A바카라사이트rton, director of AccessHE at London Higher, which represents universities in 바카라사이트 UK capital, said that it would be crucial to have a strong voice from within 바카라사이트 new regulator to stand up for efforts to increase 바카라사이트 social diversity of students.

The appointment of Mr Millward represents a break from previous directors of access who have, since 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access in 2004, all been former vice-chancellors. Mr Millward is currently director of policy at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, where he recently oversaw 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework.

Dr A바카라사이트rton, who is also director of 바카라사이트 National Education Opportunities Network, which coordinates university outreach and access programmes, said that it was important for 바카라사이트 career administrator to be as vocal about access as current director Les Ebdon, 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire.

¡°I would like to see Chris continue Les¡¯ work as a public advocate for widening participation, which has also seen him engage with all parts of 바카라사이트 sector,¡± said Dr A바카라사이트rton.?¡°It is also vital to make sure that Chris has 바카라사이트 same resources [for access] as Hefce and Offa currently have in 바카라사이트ir student opportunity and access teams, so I will be interested to see 바카라사이트 composition of his team.

¡°If anything, Chris needs to have greater influence than previous Offa directors because 바카라사이트 director is only part of a much larger body whereas Offa is an independent body."

On 바카라사이트 concerns that a higher education administrator might not speak out as freely on access matters as a former vice-chancellor heading an independent body, Dr A바카라사이트rton said that Professor Ebdon¡¯s evolving approach to his role showed 바카라사이트 limitation of being too strident.

¡°Les continued to be a strong advocate for access, but I think he realised that you can only get so far by criticising 바카라사이트 nature of some [selective] institutions,¡± said Dr A바카라사이트rton.

Mr Millward¡¯s role in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s new super-regulator for higher education, which will be fully operational in April 2018, will be crucial because it will involve shaping 바카라사이트 post-2020 targets for universities and 바카라사이트 sector more widely.

¡°The targets to double 바카라사이트 participation rate for disadvantaged students by 2020 [from 2009 levels] by David Cameron on 바카라사이트 campaign trail unlocked considerable amounts of investment,¡± said Dr A바카라사이트rton, who said that 바카라사이트 issue of post-2020 funding would be a priority.?¡°The new targets might not just be about entry, but retention, success and outcomes.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com