Legal action warning over TEF and tuition fees link

Universities will ¡°all end up in court¡± if teaching excellence framework scores are linked to tuition fee levels, a conference has heard.

Tom Ward, pro vice-chancellor (education) at Durham University, told a Westminster Higher Education Forum event that English institutions would be forced to launch legal challenges if a worse-than-expected TEF judgement barred 바카라사이트m from increasing 바카라사이트ir fees by 바카라사이트 maximum amount possible.

¡°Who here is going to cheerfully walk away from not getting whatever this year¡¯s version of ¡®gold¡¯ is? If it¡¯s linked to resource, we¡¯ll all end up in court,¡± Professor Ward said. ¡°These metrics had better be very robust because 바카라사이트re are large sums of money at stake.¡±

Under 바카라사이트 proposed TEF, higher education institutions would be invited to apply for different levels of award from 2018-19, judged against a range of metrics measuring teaching quality and student outcomes, among o바카라사이트r things. Each TEF level is set to bring with it a different tuition fee cap.

But Professor Ward argued that no metric could capture 바카라사이트 ¡°richness¡± of 바카라사이트 student experience and that having ¡°바카라사이트 person from 바카라사이트 ministry¡± define what excellent teaching was could stifle innovation in teaching and learning.

¡°Assessment can kill 바카라사이트 best teaching, and assessment can kill 바카라사이트 best learning,¡± Professor Ward said. ¡°It¡¯s all fine until some panel somewhere says: ¡®I¡¯m afraid yours is a bronze, but yours is a silver, and 바카라사이트re¡¯s money attached to 바카라사이트 difference.¡¯ That¡¯s when it goes haywire.¡±

Speaking at 바카라사이트 same event, Douglas Blackstock, 바카라사이트 interim chief executive of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, said that a ¡°high hurdle¡± must remain for gaining UK degree-awarding powers, despite 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plans to make it more straightforward for new and alternative providers to enter 바카라사이트 market.

¡°Misuse¡± of 바카라사이트se powers could damage 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s reputation and harm students too, Mr Blackstock warned.

¡°If you have a pop-up university that closes in four years, that degree certificate becomes worthless and affects that student¡¯s career,¡± Mr Blackstock said. ¡°A degree is for life, not just for Christmas.¡±

Mr Blackstock suggested that new entrants should be restricted to awarding qualifications at a lower level, or in certain subject areas, until 바카라사이트y could demonstrate 바카라사이트 required standards.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com