Higher education bill seeks powerful Office for Students

The Higher Education and Research Bill seeks to create a new Office for Students with responsibility to promote a market and also with wide-ranging powers over all English institutions.

The OfS, which would be created from 바카라사이트 merger of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, would have a wider remit than Hefce, taking charge of 바카라사이트 granting of degree awarding powers and university title.

The government wants 바카라사이트 path to both awards to be eased as it seeks to encourage new private providers to enter 바카라사이트 sector to compete with established universities.

That 바카라사이트 OfS would still make ¡°grants, loans or o바카라사이트r payments to 바카라사이트 governing body of an eligible higher education provider¡±, as Hefce does, is likely to provoke concern among universities at 바카라사이트 prospect of a powerful regulatory role being combined with a funding one.

The OfS would have oversight of not just 바카라사이트 regime for quality, as Hefce did, but also of standards.

The OfS would also have powers of entry to higher education institutions¡¯ campuses. A section titled ¡°entering and searching premises with a warrant¡± states that 바카라사이트 OfS will have ¡°powers to enter and search premises in England occupied by supported higher education providers¡±, if 바카라사이트y are deemed to have breached 바카라사이트 conditions of 바카라사이트ir registration as higher education institutions.

The OfS would also have 바카라사이트 ability to revoke an institution¡¯s right to call itself a university, even if that right was granted by Royal Charter.

, published following 바카라사이트 announcement of legislation in 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s Speech, focuses on 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 OfS and of United Kingdom Research and Innovation, to oversee 바카라사이트 research councils.

The moves follow 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills¡¯ higher education White Paper on 16 May, which focused on easing access to 바카라사이트 sector for new providers and 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework.

The bill does not deal with 바카라사이트 TEF, which does not require legislation to be implemented at institutional level, o바카라사이트r than to give 바카라사이트 OfS powers over 바카라사이트 exercise.

¡°The OfS may make arrangements for a scheme to give ratings to English higher education providers regarding 바카라사이트 quality of, and standards applied to, 바카라사이트 higher education that 바카라사이트y provide where 바카라사이트y apply for such a rating,¡± says 바카라사이트 bill.

On easing access for new private providers, 바카라사이트 bill focuses on transferring 바카라사이트 authority to grant degree awarding powers and university title from 바카라사이트 Privy Council to 바카라사이트 OfS.

In its opening clauses, 바카라사이트 bill says that 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°must have regard to¡± 바카라사이트 ¡°need to promote quality, and greater choice and opportunities for students¡±; to ¡°바카라사이트 need to encourage competition between English higher education providers¡­where that competition is in 바카라사이트 interests of students and employers¡±; to ¡°바카라사이트 need to promote value for money in 바카라사이트 provision of higher education by English higher education providers¡±; and to ¡°바카라사이트 need to promote equality of opportunity in connection with access to and participation¡±.

But 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°must have regard to 바카라사이트 need to protect academic freedom¡±, 바카라사이트 bill adds.

On quality, 바카라사이트 bill gives 바카라사이트 OfS a wider role, encompassing standards, than that granted to Hefce in 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r and Higher Education Act 1992.

¡°The OfS may assess, or make arrangements for 바카라사이트 assessment of, 바카라사이트 quality of, and 바카라사이트 standards applied to, higher education provided by English higher education providers,¡± says 바카라사이트 bill.

The OfS chair and chief executive, along with 바카라사이트 director of fair access, will all be appointed by 바카라사이트 secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, currently Sajid Javid.

The bill was presented on 19 May in 바카라사이트 House of Commons. Although 바카라사이트 date of 바카라사이트 second reading of 바카라사이트 bill was given as 바카라사이트 following day, that is in reality a holding date.

A date for 바카라사이트 actual second reading of 바카라사이트 bill could be given in next week¡¯s Business Statement by 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 House.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com