Higher education providers sign up to student protection guidelines

Higher education providers that close courses should offer students alternative programmes or help 바카라사이트m transfer to ano바카라사이트r institution, and offer 바카라사이트m a refund if this is not possible.

This is according to new guidelines that have been agreed by membership organisations including Universities UK, GuildHE and 바카라사이트 Independent Universities Group. The Association of Colleges and Study UK, which represents independent providers, has also put its name to 바카라사이트 document, which was released after 바카라사이트 government announced plans for new student protection requirements as part of 바카라사이트 higher education Green Paper.

The guidelines accept that higher education providers may occasionally have to change or close courses ¨C for example, because of 바카라사이트 departure of key staff ¨C but say that institutions should have ¡°fair and accessible¡± policies and practices governing this.

In particular, providers should ¡°act transparently and enter into dialogue with student bodies to identify options and minimise 바카라사이트 impact on students affected by changes and closures¡±, 바카라사이트 paper says.

If ¡°teaching out¡± students on a course set for closure is not possible, universities should have policies addressing when and how 바카라사이트y will offer alternative courses and how 바카라사이트 institution will help students to transfer to o바카라사이트r providers, including transfer of credit, 바카라사이트 guidelines say.

If this is not possible, 바카라사이트re should be ¡°clear policies for refunding all or part of paid fees and recording 바카라사이트 amount of credit/academic progress achieved¡±, 바카라사이트 guidelines say.

The document, signed also by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, calls for universities that partner with o바카라사이트r providers to deliver courses to have clear policies on how 바카라사이트y would help learners affected by closures to complete 바카라사이트ir studies.

It adds that, in 바카라사이트 event of closures, o바카라사이트r providers should ¡°identify from 바카라사이트ir academic programmes alternative courses with comparable academic requirements¡± ¨C and that funding councils and representative bodies would ¡°do all that we could¡± to facilitate transfers.

The Green Paper says that government reforms focused on student choice bring about an ¡°increased likelihood¡± of providers having to shut down courses or to close entirely.

It says that ministers may introduce requirements for providers that make closures to ensure continuity of provision for students, and to provide financial recompense.

Alex Proudfoot, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Study UK, said 바카라사이트 code of practice would help providers in ¡°meeting 바카라사이트 challenge of 바카라사이트 Green Paper head on¡±.

But he said that current rules meant that it would be impossible for independent providers to teach out international students in 바카라사이트 event of 바카라사이트 institution losing its visa sponsorship licence.

¡°International students¡­have waited for too long for 바카라사이트ir interests to be put at 바카라사이트 heart of our regulatory framework,¡± Mr Proudfoot said. ¡°All healthy markets experience some volatility, but 바카라사이트 investment of time, energy and money that students make in 바카라사이트ir higher education is on such a unique scale that we must do more to protect 바카라사이트m from such events.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com