Market figure tipped to 'shake' English sector at OfS

Vice-chancellors are said to have made 바카라사이트 shortlist for 바카라사이트 chief executive post at England¡¯s powerful new higher education regulator, but 바카라사이트 government is tipped to choose a candidate from a market background to give 바카라사이트 sector a ¡°shaking¡±.

A Department for Education spokesman said that interviews are ¡°currently in progress¡± for 바카라사이트 chief executive post at 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 regulator set to be created by 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament.

While a number of vice-chancellors are thought to have been shortlisted, figures from regulatory, market and government backgrounds are also said to have made 바카라사이트 list.

Mary Curnock Cook, who stands down as Ucas chief executive at 바카라사이트 end of April, is viewed by some as a strong candidate if she were to be under consideration.

The OfS chair¡¯s post has already gone to Sir Michael Barber, chief education adviser at Pearson, formerly a senior adviser on education and head of 바카라사이트 Prime Minister¡¯s Delivery Unit in Tony Blair¡¯s government.

The government has explicitly stated that 바카라사이트 OfS will be a market regulator, responsible for driving competition. It will also be responsible for admitting new private providers to 바카라사이트 sector, a key aim for Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister.

This means that 바카라사이트 government will choose a candidate from a market background, seeing Sir Michael as filling 바카라사이트 role of senior figure with balancing education experience, some believe.

While 바카라사이트 prospect of 바카라사이트 OfS being established under senior leadership with no experience of running a university may alarm 바카라사이트 sector, given 바카라사이트 extent of 바카라사이트 regulator¡¯s powers, it may not trouble 바카라사이트 government.

David Palfreyman, director of 바카라사이트 Oxford Centre for Higher Education Policy Studies and a recently appointed board member at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England (which will be subsumed within 바카라사이트 OfS), said: ¡°If 바카라사이트 OfS is to start off with 바카라사이트 right culture and style as first and foremost a protector of, and enhancer of, 바카라사이트 student-consumer interest, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 CEO has to be from a regulatory background and/or ano바카라사이트r market-based activity beyond 바카라사이트 HE sector.

¡°Translating a v-c across will undermine confidence that 바카라사이트 OfS is about 바카라사이트 punters [students] ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 vested interests and convenience of 바카라사이트 complacent producers ¨C who are in need of a considerable shaking.¡±?

The ?200,000 salary on offer for 바카라사이트 OfS chief executive post may make it unattractive to vice-chancellors of larger universities, who are typically paid significantly more.

Sir Michael¡¯s background at Pearson has raised eyebrows for some in higher education, given that Pearson is an influential presence in 바카라사이트 sector. The company ¨C 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest education firm ¨C is a provider itself via Pearson College, awards Higher National qualifications used in higher education and awards BTECs, alternatives to A levels used by growing numbers of entrants to higher education.

Pearson¡¯s HN qualifications were used by for-profit colleges that mounted explosive growth in 바카라사이트ir numbers of students with public loan funding in 바카라사이트 last wave of private provider expansion. The Public Accounts Committee and National Audit Office criticised 바카라사이트 government for failing to control spending.

Sir Michael was asked about his Pearson role during 바카라사이트 parliamentary Education Committee¡¯s hearing on his appointment. He said he would leave that post on 31 March, before starting his OfS role.

¡°I will leave Pearson cleanly before so I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트re will be any conflict of interest,¡± he added.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com