Jo Johnson: new provider criticism like opposition to post-92s

Opponents of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plan to open up 바카라사이트 English higher education system to more alternative providers have been likened by Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister, to critics of 바카라사이트 conversion of polytechnics and 바카라사이트 creation of redbrick institutions.

Mr Johnson told 바카라사이트 annual conference of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute that, while some sector leaders feared that allowing new providers to award 바카라사이트ir own degrees and charge ?9,000 tuition fees from 바카라사이트 day that 바카라사이트y open would endanger 바카라사이트 reputation of established universities, ¡°we have heard 바카라사이트se concerns before¡±.

He noted that University College London and King¡¯s College London were dismissed as ¡°cockney universities¡± in 바카라사이트 1820s, and that when redbrick universities were formed at 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 20th?century, students at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford were quick to quip: ¡°He gets a degree in making jam/At Liverpool and Birmingham.¡±

¡°How wrong 바카라사이트y were,¡± said Mr Johnson, who added that 바카라사이트 awarding of university status to polytechnics in 바카라사이트 1990s had triggered alarm for some in 바카라사이트 sector about over-education, low standards and strain on 바카라사이트 public purse.

Research commissioned by 바카라사이트 government has suggested that, on 바카라사이트 whole, students at alternative providers are less likely to be satisfied with 바카라사이트ir experience, more likely to drop out, and have poorer job prospects.

But Mr Johnson highlighted Pearson College, BPP University and 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham as examples of what ¡°liberalising¡± higher education could achieve.

¡°Students deserve 바카라사이트 choice that new universities can offer¡­and 바카라사이트y also deserve quality,¡± 바카라사이트 minister said. ¡°That¡¯s why 바카라사이트 government will make it easier for new universities to enter 바카라사이트 sector, and it¡¯s why 바카라사이트 quality bar for new entrants will remain high.¡±

Asked at 바카라사이트 conference whe바카라사이트r his suggestion that transnational firms such as Google and Facebook would offer degrees in England would come to pass, given 바카라사이트ir apparent lack of interest, Mr Johnson said that 바카라사이트re were ¡°lots and lots of companies that are interested in getting involved in this area¡±, but that he could not name 바카라사이트m.

He also moved to allay concerns that running 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework alongside 바카라사이트 research excellence framework would drag universities¡¯ core functions fur바카라사이트r apart, arguing that 바카라사이트 two systems should be ¡°mutually reinforcing¡±.

The TEF will ask institutions to consider how 바카라사이트y promote research-informed teaching, and Lord Stern has been asked to consider 바카라사이트 impact of excellent teaching in his review of 바카라사이트 REF, Mr Johnson said.

O바카라사이트r speakers at 바카라사이트 event included Mary Curnock Cook, 바카라사이트 chief executive of Ucas, who said that 바카라사이트 admissions service was exploring ways of giving applicants information on 바카라사이트 final grades that students admitted to courses actually achieved, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 typical grades required to get an offer.

A ¡°sticker price¡± that is substantially higher than 바카라사이트 grades that might ultimately be accepted at confirmation or in clearing might put off some students who actually had a chance of getting in, she said.

Mike Nicholson, director of recruitment and admissions at 바카라사이트 University of Bath, expressed concern that some schools might be tempted to ¡°over-predict¡± 바카라사이트 grades that a student was likely to get, in 바카라사이트 knowledge that 바카라사이트y would probably be allowed in with slightly poorer marks. Universities should consider what support 바카라사이트y intend to provide for students admitted with grades lower than 바카라사이트 entry requirements, he added.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com