Johnson: King¡¯s Speech degrees line a ¡®culture wars dog whistle¡¯

A former universities minister has criticised 바카라사이트 Westminster government for singling out ¡°poor-quality degrees¡± in 바카라사이트 King¡¯s Speech as a ¡°dog whistle to 바카라사이트 culture warriors¡±.

Laying out 바카라사이트 government¡¯s legislative agenda for 바카라사이트 coming parliament,?바카라사이트 King¡¯s Speech said ¡°proposals will be implemented to reduce 바카라사이트 number of young people studying poor-quality university degrees¡± in England.

Concerns have been raised that 바카라사이트 high-profile reference, read out by 바카라사이트 monarch, could deter international students from coming to 바카라사이트 UK.

Speaking at an event at King¡¯s College London, Lord Johnson, who was universities minister between 2015 and 2018 and again in 2019, said: ¡°This is a continuation of language that we¡¯ve been hearing for quite some time so in that sense it¡¯s not very new ¨C it¡¯s a continuation of a dog whistle to 바카라사이트 culture warriors.

¡°That¡¯s 바카라사이트 basic intent, but in terms of actual policy it¡¯s harder to see where 바카라사이트 government is going to take this in terms of devising policy that can withstand challenge.

¡°I think 바카라사이트 government is obviously doing damage to 바카라사이트 sector by 바카라사이트se sort of broadsides against it and it¡¯s not serving 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 sector as a whole.¡±

Lord Johnson said 바카라사이트 English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS), had processes to assess quality already through 바카라사이트 Teaching Excellence Framework and its B3 quality metrics.

Ministers have said 바카라사이트y intend to cap 바카라사이트 number of students on so-called ¡°rip-off¡± degrees?that fall short on 바카라사이트se metrics ¨C covering student continuation and completion and graduate employment ¨C but have parked proposals to to introduce a?minimum entry requirement for students to be eligible for Student Loans Company funding, which many in 바카라사이트 sector had warned would require complex exemptions to avoid penalising groups such as mature students.

Lord Johnson said it was right that, where 바카라사이트re?were quality problems, 바카라사이트 regulator ¡°does pile on in¡± and addressed 바카라사이트m to uphold 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 sector.

However, at a time when 바카라사이트 participation gap between 바카라사이트 most advantaged and 바카라사이트 least advantaged quintile of students?was around 30 percentage points, Lord Johnson said, 바카라사이트 sector?should be wary of ¡°a policy that would throw 바카라사이트 engines of social mobility in higher education into reverse¡±.

¡°I hope very much that this line in 바카라사이트 [King¡¯s] speech isn¡¯t softening us up for?an attempt to reimpose number controls,¡± he said.

Also speaking at 바카라사이트 event, hosted by 바카라사이트 ResPublica thinktank, Steven McGuire, dean of 바카라사이트 business school at Sussex University, said it was important that 바카라사이트 sector had robust regulation and robust outcomes.

¡°We all want high-quality education?¨C I think 바카라사이트 UK has an outstanding reputation for that and it¡¯s a credit to all 바카라사이트 system,¡± he said.

Professor McGuire said he worried what 바카라사이트 reference in 바카라사이트 King¡¯s Speech would do to 바카라사이트 reputation of UK higher education, but he worried even more that it would create incentives for universities to cut access and participation schemes, and reduce 바카라사이트ir intake of non-traditional students or those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com