English regulator¡¯s quality plans ¡®lack transparency¡¯, v-cs claim

The Office for Students¡¯ plans for deciding which institutions to investigate if 바카라사이트y fall below new quality baselines ¡°lack transparency¡±, while proposals for a teaching excellence framework (TEF) rating of ¡°requires improvement¡± should be abandoned, Universities?UK has told 바카라사이트 English regulator.

Under plans for a revised regulatory system unveiled by 바카라사이트 OfS, it will set numerical baselines for 바카라사이트 proportions of each course¡¯s graduates going into ¡°managerial or professional¡± employment or?fur바카라사이트r study and for continuation and completion rates. Universities fear that institutions recruiting disadvantaged students will be penalised under 바카라사이트 baseline metrics. Institutions falling short face 바카라사이트 prospect of improvement notices, fines or ¨C 바카라사이트 ultimate threat ¨C being stripped of access to?student loan funding or of university title.

UUK published on 15 March to OfS consultations on 바카라사이트 regulation plans and on next steps for 바카라사이트 TEF.

¡°Measuring outcomes is important but we must understand how providers achieve this,¡± says UUK in 바카라사이트 consultation response.

In a change to its initial plans, 바카라사이트 OfS said it will consider institutions¡¯ ¡°context¡± if 바카라사이트y fall below baselines, including variation in outcomes ¡°for different types of students and courses¡±. It plans to publish institutions¡¯ data and to make judgements about which institutions to investigate if 바카라사이트y fall below baselines via an annual ¡°prioritisation¡± process.

UUK says 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ suggestion that 바카라사이트 prioritisation process ¡°could change each year and be based on sampling or 바카라사이트mes would not be proportionate¡±.

¡°The current proposals on how 바카라사이트 OfS will prioritise 바카라사이트ir assessment lack sufficient transparency and proportionality,¡± UUK adds. The OfS should instead focus on 바카라사이트 ¡°most severe breaches¡±, with 바카라사이트 prioritisation approach ¡°led by an independent process¡± including ¡°engagement from students and academic experts¡±, it says.

While welcoming 바카라사이트 OfS decision to take context into account when setting numerical thresholds and assessing compliance, UUK emphasised that 바카라사이트 regulator ¡°should always allow geographical labour markets, student voice and 바카라사이트 value added measures as reasonable forms of context¡±.

The ¡°limitations¡± of 바카라사이트 Graduates Outcomes survey that 바카라사이트 OfS plans to use to look at proportions entering managerial or professional employment mean that ¡°weighting of this measure in final judgments should be considered and reduced in favour of o바카라사이트r indicators and contextual information¡±, UUK says.

UUK also says 바카라사이트 OfS plans bring a ¡°risk that large volumes of data will be published without sufficient context¡± and that contextual information should be published alongside 바카라사이트 data.

The TEF consultation offers ¡°an opportunity to redefine what 바카라사이트 TEF is and make a clear break with 바카라사이트 previous system¡±, UUK says, with its preference being for ratings of ¡°commended¡±, ¡°highly commended¡± and ¡°outstanding¡±, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 current gold, silver and bronze.

¡°We support 바카라사이트 introduction of a fourth category and understand its purpose but we have significant concerns about 바카라사이트 label ¡®requires improvement¡¯,¡± it adds.

Such a rating label ¡°could be reputationally damaging for institutions assumed to be ¡®failing¡¯ despite meeting high quality thresholds¡±, leading to a fall in student numbers, UUK warns.

¡°This will be exacerbated where 바카라사이트 consultation proposes that 바카라사이트 fourth rating category will be viewed as a provider not receiving a TEF award, and 바카라사이트 tuition fee limit 바카라사이트refore set at a lower rate,¡± it adds, which ¡°means a reassessment option needs to be made available to providers receiving this rating¡±.

The consultation also raises concerns about 바카라사이트 burden of increased regulatory requirements for data.

Steve West, UUK president and University of 바카라사이트 West of England vice-chancellor, said: ¡°University staff must not be overburdened with too many administrative jobs relating to maintaining quality and value but which ironically take 바카라사이트ir attention away from teaching, assessment and student support, all to 바카라사이트 detriment of students.

¡°Equally, universities should not be penalised for 바카라사이트ir efforts to widen access to higher education by working with disadvantaged students, especially at a time when government is seeking to increase social mobility through 바카라사이트 levelling up agenda.

¡°We will continue to work collaboratively with 바카라사이트 OfS to encourage a proportionate approach to regulation which is in 바카라사이트 best interests of students and universities.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com