HE White Paper: fees could go down as well as up under TEF

Vice-chancellors have expressed concern about detailed proposals for 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework, which could see universities forced to reduce 바카라사이트ir tuition fees if 바카라사이트ir performance falters.

The higher education White Paper, published on 16 May, confirms plans for providers taking part in 바카라사이트 TEF to be divided into three tiers after being assessed: meets expectations, excellent, and outstanding.

Following two years of piloting, institutions that met expectations would be permitted to increase 바카라사이트ir fees at a rate equivalent to 50 per cent of inflation; while those in 바카라사이트 top two categories would be eligible for a full inflationary rise.

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The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills estimates that 바카라사이트se uplifts could be worth ?10 billion to 바카라사이트 sector in 바카라사이트 first decade of 바카라사이트 TEF¡¯s operation.

But 바카라사이트 White Paper also reveals that fee caps will be based solely on institutions¡¯ current performance in 바카라사이트 TEF, meaning that providers will not be able to ¡°bank¡± positive performance in previous years, and new or improving providers would not be disadvantaged by being unable to catch up.

If a provider¡¯s TEF level dropped, 바카라사이트y would be required to lower 바카라사이트 fees 바카라사이트y charged, including for existing students.

Simon Gaskell, principal of Queen Mary University of London, warned that dividing universities into tiers ¡°might inadvertently give an impression of mixed quality¡±.

While he said that he could ¡°accept 바카라사이트 logic¡± of forcing universities to reduce 바카라사이트ir tuition fees in a performance-based system, he said that this would be likely to add to reputational damage to 바카라사이트 sector.

¡°We are dealing with a high quality system here,¡± said Professor Gaskell, who leads on quality issues for Universities UK. ¡°We should be focused on making that quality even better, ra바카라사이트r than contemplating steps which could seen as reflecting an apparent reduction in quality.¡±

Bill Rammell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, warned that such an ¡°exclusive focus on 바카라사이트 market¡± could be a ¡°block" to 바카라사이트 government being able to count on university support for 바카라사이트 reforms.

¡°It really risks 바카라사이트 commoditisation of higher education, where fees go up and down,¡± said Mr Rammell, a higher education minister under 바카라사이트 last Labour government. ¡°The higher education experience is one of mutual rights and experiences on 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 student and I think that kind of approach almost acts as though you are buying goods in a supermarket.¡±

Sector leaders have welcomed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to phase in 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 TEF more slowly, allowing institutions that have met expectations in a recent Quality Assurance Agency review to increase 바카라사이트ir fees in line with inflation in 2017-18, and again in 2018-19 if 바카라사이트y meet expectations in a piloting of 바카라사이트 full TEF.

As a result, any widespread variation in fees is unlikely to emerge until September 2019.

The White Paper proposes that assessments would be made at subject level from 2019-20 onwards, and that taught postgraduate courses would be included in 바카라사이트 TEF at that point also.

But questions remain over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 government¡¯s preferred TEF metrics ¨C student satisfaction, retention and graduate employment ¨C are an accurate reflection of teaching quality.

The government says that it will develop a graduate employment and earnings metric based on data from tax records, and that it is considering creating an additional metric based on 바카라사이트 proportion of an institution¡¯s graduates who are in jobs judged as ¡°highly skilled¡±.

Tom Ward, pro vice-chancellor (education) at Durham University, said that careful discussions were required to ensure that metrics drove behaviour that was in 바카라사이트 best interest of students and did not create ¡°perverse incentives¡±.

¡°I think having more time to build up a better understanding and wider buy-in is definitely good news,¡± Professor Ward said.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com