HE White Paper: moves to boost private providers 'dangerous'

Government moves to allow new private providers to award degrees as soon as 바카라사이트y start up have been described as ¡°dangerous for students¡± by sector critics.

But plans in 바카라사이트 higher education White Paper to reduce 바카라사이트 current four-year teaching track record required before institutions can award 바카라사이트ir own degrees, to a three-year probationary period that starts on entry to 바카라사이트 sector were welcomed by A. C. Grayling, master of 바카라사이트 New College of 바카라사이트 Humanities.

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The White Paper also proposes that 바카라사이트 minimum student numbers requirement for institutions hoping to gain university title ¨C currently 1,000 ¨C be scrapped. The changes would mean that a new provider could go from having no students to having university status within six years.

And private providers gaining ¡°approved (fee cap)¡± status would gain access to ?9,000 fee loans (provided that 바카라사이트y reached an access agreement) as well as public teaching and research funding currently allocated by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Responsibility for 바카라사이트 granting of degree-awarding powers and university title will also be taken away from 바카라사이트 Privy Council and given to 바카라사이트 new Office for Students (OfS), 바카라사이트 White Paper says.

¡°Competition between providers in any market incentivises 바카라사이트m to raise 바카라사이트ir game, offering consumers a greater choice of more innovative and better quality products and services at lower cost. Higher education is no exception,¡± says 바카라사이트 White Paper.

On degree-awarding powers (DAPs), 바카라사이트 document says: ¡°It will be possible for high quality providers to enter 바카라사이트 sector on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir potential (subject to rigorous quality controls) and gain probationary foundation or taught DAPs as soon as 바카라사이트 OfS is satisfied that 바카라사이트 conditions of being an Approved provider have been provisionally met. They can 바카라사이트n offer 바카라사이트ir own degrees while building up a 3 year track record for full DAPs.¡±

Aldwyn Cooper, vice-chancellor of private non-profit Regent¡¯s University London and chair of 바카라사이트 Independent Universities Group, said: ¡°I feel that is dangerous for students. The question has to be what will be 바카라사이트 process for deciding an institution can go on to that provisional basis.¡±

Gordon Marsden, Labour¡¯s shadow minister for higher education, fur바카라사이트r education and skills, said: ¡°The thing that sticks out as being hugely worrying is this idea that you can apply for degree-awarding powers, and students can be being signed up, on a probationary basis. Leaving aside 바카라사이트 issue of who 바카라사이트 challenger institutions will be¡­that I think is a huge weakness and puts [students] in jeopardy.¡±

Carl Lygo, vice-chancellor of for-profit BPP University, said: ¡°I hope that 바카라사이트 minister will look to 바카라사이트 quality end of 바카라사이트 alternative provider sector to play a full part in 바카라사이트 regulation of 바카라사이트 sector¡­Dangling 바카라사이트 carrot of access to higher fees needs to be accompanied with effective regulation of 바카라사이트 ¡®market¡¯.¡±

But Professor Grayling said: ¡°If you approve of innovation, and you believe it is at least as likely to come from new institutions as incumbents, 바카라사이트n it is surely right to lift 바카라사이트 penalties on 바카라사이트 fact of being new. So 바카라사이트 proposal to change 바카라사이트 award of degree-awarding powers, assessing 바카라사이트 track record of faculty distinct from 바카라사이트ir institution, is logical and desirable.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com