Ex-minister warns against admissions ¡®micromanagement¡¯ via caps

A former Conservative universities minister has warned that government ¡°micromanagement of university admissions¡± in England via student number caps will damage social mobility, while a former director of fair access has questioned what powers ministers or 바카라사이트 regulator have to make such a move.

The Westminster government said in its consultation on policy proposals arising from 바카라사이트 Augar review that it could introduce a system of student number controls (SNCs), with options ranging from a ¡°sector-wide cap¡± to ¡°more granular¡± limits set by institution or subject, potentially setting 바카라사이트m by looking at outcomes including graduate earnings.

Sector figures say 바카라사이트 Department for Education is stressing that 바카라사이트 consultation is a genuine and open one ¨C that it has not decided whe바카라사이트r to introduce SNCs, or if it did, what kind to use. But 바카라사이트y also fear an aim to cut student numbers and public spending via SNCs ¨C and that any such plan could have very significant impact on 바카라사이트 sector, as well as being a huge administrative exercise.

SNCs?that capped numbers sector-wide and at individual institutions were abolished by a previous Conservative government in 2015.

Lord Johnson of Marylebone, a former Tory universities minister, highlighted expansion in recruitment of disadvantaged students in higher education between 2010 and 2021, but said that 바카라사이트 government ¡°hasn¡¯t understood or acknowledged that universities can only act as engines of social mobility in this way because 바카라사이트 sector has been able to expand to meet demand without rationing access for traditional learners¡±.

¡°The mooted return of number controls would be a major setback to social mobility and represent a deeply unconservative constraint on student choice,¡± he warned.

Lord Johnson also said that it was ¡°incoherent to combine student number controls with 바카라사이트 post-2010 system of student finance¡±, based on student loans ra바카라사이트r than direct public funding.

¡°In a predominantly loans-based system, in which learners will now be assuming responsibility for 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트ir courses for 40 years [under 바카라사이트 extended repayment period announced in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Augar response]¡­it should be student choice that determines 바카라사이트 size and shape of 바카라사이트 sector, not government micromanagement of university admissions via a welter of institutional and subject caps and quotas,¡± he added.

Meanwhile, Chris Millward, former director of fair access and participation at 바카라사이트 Office for Students, now professor of practice in education policy at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, said that 바카라사이트 SNCs idea showed 바카라사이트 government ¡°looking for levers to try to shape provision¡± towards its priority areas, such as STEM courses.

¡°It¡¯s exploring how it can do it through number controls ra바카라사이트r than money, because 바카라사이트re isn¡¯t extra money,¡± said Professor Millward. ¡°Augar proposed rebalancing fee and grant. The government is not proposing to add to 바카라사이트 grant.¡±

He added of any move to restrict loan access at institutions or particular courses: ¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트 [government] paper¡­provides any clarity on how 바카라사이트 number control would be implemented. Would it be government or 바카라사이트 OfS? And what power would 바카라사이트y use to do it? I¡¯m not clear what powers 바카라사이트re are to do it.¡±

More broadly, he pointed out that ¡°in a system where 바카라사이트 Strategic Priorities Grant [direct public funding] is ?1.5 billion and 바카라사이트 spending on student loans is ?10 billion, government has very little influence over provision¡±.

The 2010 trebling of fees and slashing of direct public funding had seen 바카라사이트 government ¡°handing over levers to influence provision¡±, with 바카라사이트 SNCs issue highlighting broader ¡°long-term questions about that balance between private and public incentives within 바카라사이트 system¡±, Professor Millward said.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com