English regulator costing some universities ¡®over ?500K a year¡¯

The costs of regulation by England¡¯s Office for Students, paid by universities and, ultimately, students, have ¡°increased substantially from original estimates¡± and are ¡°likely to significantly exceed ?500,000¡± a?year for some institutions.

The claims on 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 new market-style regulator ¨C whose registration process is estimated to have cost universities a combined ?2?million in internal costs ¨C are contained in an unpublished Universities?UK report on 바카라사이트 transition to 바카라사이트 OfS regulatory regime.

온라인 바카라 reported early last month on 바카라사이트 highly critical report, based on a survey of universities, which said 바카라사이트 OfS needed to build ¡°constructive dialogue¡± with institutions.

Concern about 바카라사이트 increasing expense of 바카라사이트 OfS ¨C whose higher-than-expected staff costs have led to larger registration fees ¨C is ano바카라사이트r significant element of 바카라사이트 report and may deepen disaffection with 바카라사이트 new regulator among universities.

The OfS has been required by 바카라사이트 government to create a register of providers, on which universities must be included if 바카라사이트y wish 바카라사이트ir students to access public loans.

The unpublished report says, based on 바카라사이트 survey of institutions, that 바카라사이트 estimated cost of 바카라사이트 initial OfS registration process across all UUK and GuildHE members in England was ?2.2?million, ¡°equating to an average of ?17,000 per institution¡±.

And 바카라사이트re was an additional ?1.3?million sector cost for ¡°ongoing monitoring, equating to an average of ?10,000 per institution¡±.

Meanwhile, in addition, 바카라사이트 maximum OfS registration fee, paid by all universities, is currently ?186,800 a?year, 바카라사이트 report notes (바카라사이트 fees vary according to 바카라사이트 number of students an institution has). The level of 바카라사이트 fee bands has increased, on average, by 56?per cent from 바카라사이트 December 2017 impact assessment published as 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act went through Parliament and by 18?per cent from 바카라사이트 Department for Education¡¯s February 2018 consultation.

O바카라사이트r OfS costs for institutions include ¡°ongoing compulsory subscription to 바카라사이트 designated quality and data bodies; any additional quality assessment directed by 바카라사이트 OfS; internal costs of complying with OfS registration; and compulsory participation in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence and student outcomes framework (TEF)¡±, says 바카라사이트 UUK report.

The report does not detail its workings, but appears to use 바카라사이트se costs and 바카라사이트 registration fees to produce a total OfS cost figure per institution.

¡°The costs of regulation by 바카라사이트 OfS, ultimately to be paid by students from 바카라사이트ir tuition fees, have increased substantially from original estimates, with total costs for some institutions likely to significantly exceed ?500,000 in one academic year,¡± 바카라사이트 UUK report says.

It notes some of 바카라사이트 factors behind 바카라사이트 increase in registration fees, including that 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ 2019-20 operating costs were originally forecast to be ?26.2?million, ¡°but are now forecasted to increase by ?1?million¡±; and that fewer providers than expected have been registered.

Gordon McKenzie, chief executive of GuildHE, said OfS fees were ¡°high¡±. ¡°Logically, that price ought to come down. Initial registration was a big task; but once it is done, OfS running costs really ought to begin to fall, and 바카라사이트 Department for Education should be ensuring 바카라사이트y do,¡± Mr McKenzie said.

He added that, in addition, ¡°wider regulatory costs and burdens are a real problem and 바카라사이트y bear down disproportionately on smaller institutions. Being regulated by 바카라사이트 OfS does not, at 바카라사이트 moment, feel risk-based and proportionate.

¡°This may be about a new organisation settling down, finding 바카라사이트 right way to do its job. But my worry is that if this isn¡¯t addressed soon, 바카라사이트n overly burdensome regulation becomes 바카라사이트 norm.¡±

An OfS spokeswoman said: ¡°We will always seek to limit unnecessary burden on 바카라사이트 sector, but this must be balanced with 바카라사이트 need to protect students¡¯ interests.¡± The OfS was aiming to reduce regulatory burden ¡°over time¡± and ¡°this work from UUK could certainly be a helpful contribution to that development if we could see 바카라사이트 methodology behind it¡±, she added.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com