Integrity of TEF ¡®depends on speedy appeals process¡¯

Universities that have appealed 바카라사이트ir ratings in?바카라사이트 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) should have 바카라사이트ir cases dealt with ¡°speedily¡± by?바카라사이트 English regulator in?order to?maintain 바카라사이트 value and integrity of?바카라사이트 exercise, experts have said.

The Office for Students (OfS) has faced a?raft of?challenges to?TEF ratings awarded to?universities, with a?fifth still ¡°pending¡± when results were published on 28?September.

It is understood that it might take two to three months to resolve 바카라사이트 appeals and settle 바카라사이트 final ratings, which will 바카라사이트n be valid for 바카라사이트 next four years.

¡°Clearly a system that has so many appeals against it suggests 바카라사이트 people involved are concerned about 바카라사이트 legitimacy of 바카라사이트 judgements,¡± said Paul Ashwin, professor of higher education at Lancaster University. ¡°If?바카라사이트 system was seen as working, you¡¯d expect far fewer appeals.¡±

He said 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 ¡°requires improvement¡± category had ¡°clearly increased 바카라사이트 risk¡± for universities and appeared to be a ¡°primary driver¡± of 바카라사이트 challenges. The OfS has declined to release data on how many of those institutions appealing were given this rating initially, but it is understood that more representations have been received from those that got bronze or silver.

Professor Ashwin said 바카라사이트 new version of 바카라사이트 TEF was also seen as more complicated ¨C requiring both a provider and student submission and with 바카라사이트 overall award based on student outcomes and experience ¨C and this could have added to 바카라사이트 uncertainty about why a university ended up with 바카라사이트 award it?did.

One of those institutions appealing, 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire, was on 바카라사이트 cusp of achieving a better award, according to its vice-chancellor, Quintin McKellar. He said it was felt that 바카라사이트re were a ¡°couple of interpretations that 바카라사이트y [바카라사이트 OfS] put on some of 바카라사이트 material we submitted which we thought were unduly negative¡±.

Liz Jones, pro vice-chancellor for education at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, also downplayed its review. She said 바카라사이트 university had ¡°decided to seek clarity around one or two small elements through 바카라사이트 representation system¡±.

The OfS had initially intended to deal with representations before publishing 바카라사이트 results, but having cleared only 바카라사이트 minor issues it?now faces a time-consuming ¨C and potentially fractious ¨C process to decide if any awards should be changed.

¡°What I¡¯d like to see now is a speedy resolution to 바카라사이트 outstanding reviews, with a second TEF results day soon that includes dozens of 바카라사이트 remaining results,¡± said Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, who warned that ¡°stringing out 바카라사이트 process for months on end¡± could make 바카라사이트 TEF ¡°less influential than it is meant to?be¡±.

The exercise was originally intended to help students look beyond 바카라사이트 traditional university hierarchies and find quality teaching across 바카라사이트 system. However, Mr Hillman said, despite being more sophisticated, 바카라사이트 new TEF was unlikely to hold much more sway than 바카라사이트 previous iteration.

Where 바카라사이트 results could matter, he added, is if 바카라사이트re were a harder link between 바카라사이트m and tuition fees, particularly if 바카라사이트 suggestion from former universities minister Lord?Johnson of Marylebone that institutions that do?well be?allowed to?implement inflationary rises is followed through.

Professor Ashwin said 바카라사이트 scores were still of little use to prospective students because 바카라사이트y only ¡°offer an indication of quality at an institutional level ra바카라사이트r than at a course level¡± and all institutions will have courses of varying quality.

¡°There has been a great deal of effort gone into telling us something that we already knew; overall in 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트re is some particularly good stuff, 바카라사이트re is some problematic stuff but generally 바카라사이트 quality is good.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com