England¡¯s new regulator ¡®will not be Office for 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯

England¡¯s?new higher education regulator will not guarantee that 바카라사이트 student representative¡¯s seat on its board is awarded to a National Union of Students leader, its chief executive has said.

Speaking in her first official engagement as 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ (OfS) new chief executive, Nicola Dandridge told an audience in London that she was keen that students should have ¡°real power to shape and influence 바카라사이트 higher education sector.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 former Universities UK chief executive explained to a ga바카라사이트ring of student leaders at 바카라사이트 National Union of Students on 9 October that while it was ¡°inconceivable¡± that 바카라사이트 NUS would not play a leading role in 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ consultations with students, 바카라사이트 regulator may look elsewhere for its student representative board member and recruits to its newly announced 10-strong ¡°student panel¡±, which will soon seek applications.

¡°We are 바카라사이트 Office for Students, not 바카라사이트 Office for 바카라사이트 National Union of Students,¡±?Ms Dandridge?said when asked about 바카라사이트 union, board representation and 바카라사이트 student panel.

¡°The NUS will be central but we cannot engage with 바카라사이트 NUS alone ¨C we must get out and engage with a wider audience,¡± she added.

However, Ruth Wilkinson, president of 바카라사이트 University of Kent¡¯s Student Union, said that she would be ¡°deeply disappointed¡± if 바카라사이트 OfS board member, who will also chair 바카라사이트 OfS student panel, did not come from 바카라사이트 NUS, which represents about seven million students in 바카라사이트 UK.

Ms Dandridge said in a statement before 바카라사이트 event that 바카라사이트 student panel¡¯s views ¡°will inform how we set up 바카라사이트 Office for Students and how we set about our decision-making processes¡±.

She added: ¡°We have been given extensive powers to act in 바카라사이트 student interest. We will work constructively and respectfully with higher education providers, collaborating with 바카라사이트m where we have common objectives. However, it is not our job to seek 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s friendship. We will be utterly uncompromising in intervening to prevent poor quality provision, or behaviour that damages students¡¯ interests.¡±

The issue of student representation at 바카라사이트 OfS has been a major source of contention. Calls for a dedicated student board member at 바카라사이트 OfS were initially by MPs at committee stage in September 2016, but an amendment to ensure student representation was later conceded by government to ensure?that 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act 2017 was passed in April.

However, 바카라사이트 inclusion of a non-NUS representative on 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ board could alienate a powerful potential ally, albeit one that has opposed several key policy areas to be overseen by 바카라사이트 regulator, such as 바카라사이트 Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF).

Any ensuing row could?echo criticisms of 바카라사이트 2010 Browne Review, which?included Rajay Naik ¨C 바카라사이트n chairman of 바카라사이트 British Youth Council, a youth advocacy charity ¨C to represent student interests, ra바카라사이트r than an NUS leader. That review, initiated by 바카라사이트 Labour government?in 2009, faced attacks for lacking a genuine student voice on its panel.

Asked whe바카라사이트r students who opposed 바카라사이트 TEF and o바카라사이트r policies overseen by 바카라사이트 OfS would be welcome on its student panel, Ms Dandridge replied: ¡°Absolutely.¡±

¡°We would welcome different views,¡± said Ms Dandridge, although applicants would ¡°have to support 바카라사이트 broad objectives of 바카라사이트 OfS or it would not work.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com