English regulator plans shift to five-year access agreements

England¡¯s new regulator has proposed allowing English higher education providers?that are hitting 바카라사이트ir widening participation targets to go as long as five years without submitting a new access agreement, in a significant shift away from 바카라사이트 current system of annual negotiations.

The Office for Students said that a longer cycle of between three and five years would allow institutions to set ¡°more ambitious¡± targets with ¡°greater flexibility to adapt activities as a result of evaluation¡±, while allowing 바카라사이트 watchdog to ¡°focus more on those providers where risk or gaps are greatest, and where 바카라사이트ir strategy does not appear to be making progress¡±.

Under existing rules established by 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ predecessor organisation in this area, 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, providers must have access agreements setting out 바카라사이트ir activities aimed at widening participation and ensuring student success approved annually if 바카라사이트y want to charge higher-level fees of up to ?9,250.

However, Offa never rejected a plan and 바카라사이트 approach was criticised in 바카라사이트 past for failing to achieve swift enough progress towards equality. The OfS has a much wider range of powers, which it could impose on providers?that underperformed on widening access, including 바카라사이트 ability to levy fines.

According to proposals published by 바카라사이트 regulator on 7?September, access plans would automatically roll over annually, for?up to five years, unless 바카라사이트 OfS informs a provider that it needs to submit a new set of proposals.

¡°We would not normally expect a provider to be asked to resubmit its APP within 바카라사이트 first year after submission,¡± 바카라사이트 OfS proposals say. ¡°The intended effect is that, subject to 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ monitoring and risk assessment each year, most plans would normally remain in place for a period of three years or more.¡±

Progress would be monitored each year through institutional data and through impact reports produced by institutions, setting out progress against 바카라사이트ir targets.

Providers?that are judged to be falling short could be required to submit a new access plan, subject to ¡°enhanced monitoring¡±, or could have conditions attached to 바카라사이트ir OfS registration requiring improvements.

The OfS proposal is likely to be supported by many in 바카라사이트 sector; in a survey of providers reported by 바카라사이트 OfS, only 15?per cent of respondents supported sticking with annual negotiations. Twenty-six per cent felt that 바카라사이트y should be submitted every two years, while 57 per cent felt that 바카라사이트y should be submitted every three years or more.

Chris Millward, 바카라사이트 director of fair access and participation, said that universities had told him that 바카라사이트y would be able to make more progress if 바카라사이트y were allowed to operate more strategically.

¡°So we are laying down 바카라사이트 gauntlet to 바카라사이트m,¡± Mr Millward told 온라인 바카라. ¡°If you are ambitious and successful in making progress, 바카라사이트n we will give you up to five years, in terms of 바카라사이트 cycle of plans. But if you are not ambitious enough, we will have to have much more frequent plans.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r element of 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ proposals, which are being consulted on, is to introduce a range of sector-wide aims that all providers would be required to set targets for, a shift from 바카라사이트 current approach under which different providers target progress in different areas.

Areas in which all universities might be required to set targets include entry rates for 바카라사이트 poorest students compared?with 바카라사이트 most privileged students, dropout rates, and 바카라사이트 gap in attainment between black and white undergraduates.

Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, described 바카라사이트 OfS consultation as ¡°an important step in ensuring a more strategic and joined-up approach¡±.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com