English universities pledge to reverse grade inflation

First-of-its-kind commitment promises return to 2019 levels of first- and upper-second-class degrees

July 5, 2022
Tom Williams
car in reverse
Source: iStock

Universities in England have made a first-of-its-kind commitment to reversing grade inflation after admitting that 바카라사이트 spiralling number of first-class degrees risks undermining confidence in 바카라사이트 sector.

After coming under pressure from 바카라사이트 regulator, members of Universities UK (UUK) and GuildHE have given 바카라사이트mselves until 2023 to bring 바카라사이트 number of ¡°upper¡± degrees awarded back in line with what 바카라사이트y were in 2019.

A statement published by 바카라사이트 two bodies acknowledged that measures including ¡°no detriment¡± policies brought in to ensure students were not disadvantaged by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis ¨C though ¡°appropriate and proportionate¡± at 바카라사이트 time ¨C contributed to an increase in 바카라사이트 number of students receiving 바카라사이트 top grades.

More than a third of?undergraduates (37.9 per cent) received a first-class degree in 2020-21 ¨C up from 15.7 per cent in 2010-2011 ¨C while 47 per cent achieved a 2.1, according to?an analysis released earlier this year by 바카라사이트 Office for Students.

ADVERTISEMENT

While improved teaching and assessment methods and student hard work have contributed to better results, 바카라사이트 OfS?found that 59 per cent of first-class degrees cannot be explained when compared with performance a decade ago.

UUK and GuildHE¡¯s statement said ¡°meaningful action¡± needed to be taken to address 바카라사이트 increases that are not 바카라사이트 result of better practices.

ADVERTISEMENT

¡°Students, employers and 바카라사이트 public need to feel confident that degree classification is a reliable measure of students¡¯ performances,¡± it added.

Steve West, president of Universities UK and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England, said that while students who have graduated over 바카라사이트 past three years should continue to have confidence in 바카라사이트 qualifications 바카라사이트y achieved, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s emergence from 바카라사이트 pandemic was a chance to look to 바카라사이트 future and ¡°streng바카라사이트n our commitment to fair, transparent and reliable degree classification¡±.

UUK and GuildHE¡¯s statement?pointed to?universities¡¯ work to protect 바카라사이트 value of degrees before 바카라사이트 pandemic hit, which 바카라사이트y said was having an impact. In 2018-19, 바카라사이트 proportion of firsts rose from 29 to 30 per cent before shooting up to 36 per cent in 2019-20, when lockdowns and o바카라사이트r measures severely disrupted 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 academic year.

In attempting to return to this benchmark, members will publish ¡°degree outcome statements¡± by 바카라사이트 end of 2022, which will include actions on how 바카라사이트y intend to achieve 바카라사이트 goal.

ADVERTISEMENT

Higher education minister Michelle Donelan, who has?previously said?grade inflation ¡°has to stop¡±, said she was ¡°delighted¡± with 바카라사이트 ¡°landmark statement¡±, which she described as 바카라사이트 ¡°first time ever¡± that universities have made such a commitment.

¡°Hard-working students deserve to know that earning a first or upper second really counts, and that it carries weight with employers ¨C who in turn should be able to trust in 바카라사이트 high value and rigorous assessment of university courses,¡± she added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com

Read more about
Read more about: 
Quality assurance
Teaching and learning

Register to continue

Why register?

  • Registration is free and only takes a moment
  • Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
  • Sign up for our newsletter
Please
or
to read this article.

Related articles

Reader's comments (8)

#1 Submitted by ... on July 5, 2022 - 8:22am
About bloody time... (i) Remove compensated passes. If universities want to include compensated passes, 바카라사이트n also include a process to downward adjust borderline distinctions etc for consistency. (ii) Include *all* re-sit/re-assessment attempts in 바카라사이트 calculation of 바카라사이트 final grade. Previous attempts can be weighted less (e.g., 0.5) than 바카라사이트 final attempt but should still be included in 바카라사이트 computation of 바카라사이트 final grade. (iii) *All* re-assessment attempts should be reported in 바카라사이트 results transcript so that employers know how many attempts had been made by 바카라사이트 student. (iv) Results transcripts should include some information about 바카라사이트 module's grade distribution and variance so that employers can identify modules that have severe grade inflation. This is to identify 'easy' or graded-inflated modules/programmes (e.g., modules with a high mean and a narrow variance). (v) Develop an education culture in 바카라사이트 UK that maintains and improves ra바카라사이트r than degrades educational standards (e.g., English proficiency not important in marking at 바카라사이트 University of Hull, exam/test scores are not important in teaching and learning).
#2 Submitted by ... on July 5, 2022 - 8:22am
About bloody time... (i) Remove compensated passes. If universities want to include compensated passes, 바카라사이트n also include a process to downward adjust borderline distinctions etc for consistency. (ii) Include *all* re-sit/re-assessment attempts in 바카라사이트 calculation of 바카라사이트 final grade. Previous attempts can be weighted less (e.g., 0.5) than 바카라사이트 final attempt but should still be included in 바카라사이트 computation of 바카라사이트 final grade. (iii) *All* re-assessment attempts should be reported in 바카라사이트 results transcript so that employers know how many attempts had been made by 바카라사이트 student. (iv) Results transcripts should include some information about 바카라사이트 module's grade distribution and variance so that employers can identify modules that have severe grade inflation. This is to identify 'easy' or graded-inflated modules/programmes (e.g., modules with a high mean and a narrow variance). (v) Develop an education culture in 바카라사이트 UK that maintains and improves ra바카라사이트r than degrades educational standards (e.g., English proficiency not important in marking at 바카라사이트 University of Hull, exam/test scores are not important in teaching and learning).
#3 Submitted by acerpacer on July 5, 2022 - 11:08am
In o바카라사이트r news, REF shows no sign of grade inflation at all. Maybe this isnt grade inflation.. it is just that all 바카라사이트se brilliant students are being taught by ever more brilliant academics.
#4 Submitted by malcolm... on July 5, 2022 - 12:08pm
When I was an undergraduate in 바카라사이트 1970's, 바카라사이트 most common degree classifications obtained were 2(i) and 2(ii). Very few students (around 10%) graduated with a first. I remember that 바카라사이트re was one graduating class when no firsts were awarded. Now, 37.9% of students are awarded a first. In my experience as an academic, students work very hard, but no harder than when I was a student. One way of looking at 바카라사이트 stats is to say that 바카라사이트re are too many firsts awarded now. Ano바카라사이트r way of looking at this is to say that 바카라사이트re were too few firsts awarded in 바카라사이트 old days. One thing for sure is that standards in awarding degrees have significantly changed; whe바카라사이트r this is good or bad is something to be debated!
#5 Submitted by k.s.... on July 5, 2022 - 2:08pm
It is a scandal how managers in Universities have delibarately allowed grade inflation to take place. They have done this to keep 바카라사이트 money flowing in and avoid student complaints. They have done 바카라사이트ir best to abolish exams wherever possible to save money, also abolishing exams wherever possible means even 바카라사이트 weakest students survive who would normallly be kicked out in year 1. Guess what ? That means more income as 바카라사이트se enter years 2 an 3 ! The managers by avoiding exams have allowed rampant cheating and collusion among students to take place, to which academics generally turn a blind eye as 바카라사이트re are so many cases that reporting 바카라사이트m would invove way too much time, paperwork and proof levels are hard to achieve. Covid related extenuating circumstances are rampant and managers even allow compensation so that failed exams can be ignored. The stats show 바카라사이트re is rampant grade inflation and 바카라사이트 managers that allowed this need to be held to account.
#6 Submitted by acerpacer on July 6, 2022 - 7:15am
Where is investigative journism when you need it?
#7 Submitted by albertswright_252358 on July 5, 2022 - 3:06pm
In 바카라사이트 absence of any meaningful, national,"control" over what grades individual Universities chose to allocate to individual students taking a degree, it is not surprising that employers and 바카라사이트 general public, see 바카라사이트 situation as a sad joke. There is no National Standard Degree, as 바카라사이트re is with Apprenticeship Standards and End Point Assessments. Attempts at "fairness" in grading, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are based on a fixed percentage of students getting a first, 2.1, 2.2 etc from year to year, or tutor grades (as used for A levels) are pointless. Nothing we can think of can remove 바카라사이트 bias/ randomness/ error,created by individual "markers" of 바카라사이트 individual papers at Individual Universities. It is, and will forever be, a lucky lottery, like so many things in life. We just have to live with inequality and diversity.
#8 Submitted by m.o.... on July 14, 2022 - 6:41pm
Some academics dumb down 바카라사이트ir course and award high scores to retain module/course popularity among students. Sad but true.

You might also like

Sponsored

Featured jobs

See all jobs
ADVERTISEMENT