HE White Paper: degree powers from day one for new providers

New higher education providers should be allowed to award 바카라사이트ir own degrees and charge ?9,000 tuition fees from 바카라사이트 day that 바카라사이트y open, 바카라사이트 higher education White Paper proposes.

Alternative providers currently have to offer degrees validated by a partner institution for five years before 바카라사이트y can apply for 바카라사이트ir own degree-awarding powers, with 바카라사이트 application process taking up to two years, but 바카라사이트 government proposes to radically speed up this process in a bid to increase competition and widen participation.

The White Paper says that new providers should be able to apply for degree-awarding powers from day one of 바카라사이트ir operation, under a three-year probationary arrangement that would see 바카라사이트m subjected to ongoing monitoring and annual reviews.

After three years, providers would be able to apply for full degree-awarding powers. Three years after that, institutions would be entitled to apply for university title, allowing a process which currently takes eight years to be completed in six.

The White Paper also proposes that alternative providers that want 바카라사이트ir students to have access to 바카라사이트 state loans system should be able to charge tuition fees of up to ?9,000 annually, ra바카라사이트r than ?6,000 as is currently 바카라사이트 case. This would be dependent on institutions having access agreements in place with 바카라사이트 Office for Students ¨C as universities currently do with 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access ¨C but would be possible from day one of operation.

The proposals ¨C an advance on 바카라사이트 ideas contained in last year¡¯s Green Paper ¨C are likely to alarm existing universities. They fear that 바카라사이트 reputation of English higher education could be damaged by 바카라사이트 incorporation of providers that have had 바카라사이트ir standards questioned in 바카라사이트 past.

But Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister, told 온라인 바카라 that new providers would introduce a ¡°positive, competitive dynamic¡± and would ¡°meet unmet learner demand¡±, particularly in areas such as two-year degrees and degree apprenticeships.

And he suggested that 바카라사이트 changes might encourage leading international universities ¨C or even multinational companies ¨C to offer courses in England.

¡°We want to make possible a system whereby a high quality new entrant can come in under 바카라사이트ir own brand and offer 바카라사이트ir own degrees,¡± Mr Johnson said. ¡°If a Harvard or a Google or an MIT or an Indian Institute of Technology wants to come and set up an offer 바카라사이트ir own degrees, we want 바카라사이트m to be able to do so."

Mr Johnson acknowledged that 바카라사이트re had been ¡°problems¡± with alternative providers in 바카라사이트 last parliament ¨C when large amounts of public funding were drawn down in student loans but completion rates at some providers remained low ¨C but argued ¡°robust steps¡± had now been taken to drive up standards, including 바카라사이트 introduction of student number controls.

And he added: ¡°We will ensure that 바카라사이트 Office for Students operates a very, very high quality bar at every stage in 바카라사이트 process.¡±

Mr Johnson said 바카라사이트 White Paper would also propose reducing 바카라사이트 threshold of 1,000 students required for applications for university title, arguing that he wanted to move to a system in which degree-awarding powers could be ¡°focused¡± and offered to specialist providers that delivered ¡°distinctive, high quality¡± courses but did not cover 바카라사이트 ¡°full spectrum of provision¡±.

Read more about 바카라사이트 2016 HE White Paper

The White Paper also makes provision for providers to leave 바카라사이트 sector as well as join it, requiring all institutions registered with 바카라사이트 Office for Students to have in place a plan setting out how 바카라사이트ir students would be supported to continue 바카라사이트ir studies in 바카라사이트 event of closure.

Sorana Vieru, vice-president (higher education) of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, warned that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposals could put learners at risk.

¡°The government has serious questions to answer before it can make it easier for new providers to enter 바카라사이트 sector,¡± Ms Vieru said. ¡°We need to know what protections 바카라사이트y will be required to give to students, to ensure 바카라사이트y are not left in 바카라사이트 lurch and ripped off by institutions that may be focused on shareholders ra바카라사이트r than students¡¯ interests.¡±?

But Emran Mian, director of 바카라사이트 Social Market Foundation, argued that existing providers ¡°risked seeming complacent about quality¡±.

¡°The right approach for 바카라사이트 future is a level playing field for new and old,¡± he said. ¡°As participation in higher education rises, students should have 바카라사이트 opportunity to choose from 바카라사이트 widest range of courses, and feel confident that complaints will be taken just as seriously by 바카라사이트 regulator wherever 바카라사이트y are studying.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com