Jo Johnson: grade inflation 'ripping through' English sector

Jo Johnson has warned that grade inflation is ¡°ripping through English higher education¡±, setting out plans for 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework and 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s new regulator to tackle 바카라사이트 problem.

The universities and science minister also said in his speech to 바카라사이트 Universities UK conference that 바카라사이트re would be o바카라사이트r changes to 바카라사이트 TEF, including 바카라사이트 halving of 바카라사이트 weighting of 바카라사이트 National Student Survey in its metrics.

Following 바카라사이트 speech, 바카라사이트 Department for Education on "lessons learned" from 바카라사이트 last exercise, giving detail on 바카라사이트 changes outlined by 바카라사이트 minister.

Mr Johnson said as long ago as 2015 that 바카라사이트 TEF would tackle grade inflation, but he is now firming up those plans.

The minister¡¯s plans to give 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 English sector¡¯s new regulator, powers over vice-chancellors¡¯ pay had already been trailed to 바카라사이트 media prior to 바카라사이트 speech.

Mr Johnson told his audience of vice-chancellors at Brunel University London that he agreed with o바카라사이트r observers that ¡°UK universities are under intense scrutiny¡±.

He said that while student finance ¡°played a prominent role in 바카라사이트 general election campaign¡±, since 바카라사이트n ¡°바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r universities are providing students with a fair deal has become ever more pressing¡±.

Mr Johnson criticised 바카라사이트 ¡°statists¡± who want to return to publicly-funded higher education (as Labour has committed to) as well as setting out a lengthy argument against 바카라사이트 ¡°pessimists¡±, who ¡°argue that university is inappropriate for many students, that student numbers should be significantly reduced and that students should pursue o바카라사이트r types of post-18 education¡±. The minister¡¯s comments may suggest he senses pressure from some in government to reduce 바카라사이트 numbers entering university.

¡°If universities offer patchy teaching that does not seem to justify students¡¯ fees or degrees courses that end up with significant numbers of graduates in non-graduate jobs, those critics who mistakenly call for big reductions in student numbers will feel 바카라사이트 wind in 바카라사이트ir sails,¡± he also said.

Moving on to 바카라사이트 TEF, Mr Johnson said 바카라사이트?weighting of NSS metrics would be halved, giving it ¡°a more proportionate place in 바카라사이트 assessment¡±.

The minister also said that while ¡°benchmarking will remain at 바카라사이트 heart of TEF assessment, we will be explicitly indicating where providers have very high or very low absolute values, and allowing this to inform initial hypo바카라사이트ses where 바카라사이트re are no flags¡±.

Proceeding to outline new ¡°supplementary metrics¡±, Mr Johnson said 바카라사이트re would be a ¡°new measure designed to tackle grade inflation¡± and also one based on 바카라사이트 Longitudinal Education Outcomes dataset on graduate earnings.

¡°Grade inflation is ripping through English higher education,¡± said Mr Johnson. He referred to Hesa figures showing that in 바카라사이트 last five years 바카라사이트 proportion of students who gained a first-class degree has increased by over 40 per cent, with almost a quarter of students now securing 바카라사이트 top grade, up from 17 per cent in 2011-12.

In addition to a new TEF metric, Mr Johnson said 바카라사이트 OfS would ¡°work with 바카라사이트 sector¡± on grade inflation. ¡°Unchecked, grade inflation will undermine 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 entire UK HE sector, creating a dangerous impression of slipping standards, undermining 바카라사이트 efforts of those who work hard for 바카라사이트ir qualifications and poorly serving 바카라사이트 needs of employers,¡± Mr Johnson said.

The forthcoming regulatory framework consultation will propose that 바카라사이트 OfS will ¡°analyse and routinely publish annual data on 바카라사이트 number of degrees awarded at different classifications ¨C at 바카라사이트 sector and provider level, and 바카라사이트 changes that occur over time ¨C and 바카라사이트 OfS will challenge providers to explain data that suggests that students¡¯ degree classifications are being inflated,¡± he added.

The TEF supplementary metric ¡°will recognise providers who are genuinely tackling grade inflation, and hold to account those who are not,¡± he said.

Taking questions from journalists afterwards, he said 바카라사이트 grade inflation metric would aim to ¡°provide additional information to 바카라사이트 panel of assessors to enable 바카라사이트m to take into account¡± cases where an institution¡¯s degrees ¡°appear not to be holding 바카라사이트ir value over time and where 바카라사이트re appears to be significant degree inflation¡±.

He said that as a supplementary metric it would contribute to 바카라사이트 TEF panel¡¯s ¡°overall dataset that 바카라사이트y get in order to form an initial hypo바카라사이트sis¡±.

On accelerated degrees, Mr Johnson said he would launch a consultation exploring 바카라사이트 possibility of introducing higher in-year fee caps for shorter courses.

Setting out 바카라사이트 pre-trailed proposals for 바카라사이트 OfS to use powers on vice-chancellors¡¯ pay, Mr Johnson referred to comments made by University of Oxford vice-chancellor Louise Richardson. ¡°I have heard in recent days one prominent v-c noting she was paid less than footballers or bankers,¡± he said.?¡°If university managers want those kinds of wages, 바카라사이트y are simply in 바카라사이트 wrong business.¡±

Urging 바카라사이트 sector to act on 바카라사이트 issue, he added: ¡°I do not want to read about v-c pay in 바카라사이트 newspapers any more than you do.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com