OfS intervened over ¡®abuses¡¯ amid sector reputation fears

The Office for Students intervened with a university to head off ¡°clear reputational risk¡± and ¡°abuses¡±, but did so behind 바카라사이트 scenes to avoid ¡°damage to 바카라사이트 whole sector¡±, according to 바카라사이트 regulator's former chair. In doing so, and with government support, it averted fears that half a dozen or more institutions would collapse in 바카라사이트 pandemic, he told peers.

Sir Michael Barber, who was 바카라사이트 regulator¡¯s first chair before stepping down in 2021, was giving evidence to 바카라사이트 House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee as it opened an inquiry into 바카라사이트 OfS, after concerns were expressed by universities that 바카라사이트 regulator had not maintained its independence from government and had infringed on university autonomy.

Sir Michael defended 바카라사이트 regulator¡¯s work behind 바카라사이트 scenes.

¡°There was one university where 바카라사이트re were clear reputational risks being taken ¨C abuses, I would say. And we sorted that out. We didn¡¯t make a big public thing of it; we could have done, but we didn¡¯t, because we didn¡¯t want to damage 바카라사이트 whole sector,¡± he said.

University autonomy was crucial, but ¡°you can¡¯t choose to be bad; you can¡¯t choose to be corrupt and so on¡±, Sir Michael said.

Nicola Dandridge, 바카라사이트 former OfS chief executive who also gave evidence, said 바카라사이트 government had given 바카라사이트 regulator ¡°a very strong steer to do away with 바카라사이트 National Student Survey¡±.

Resisting that was ¡°an example of where 바카라사이트 OfS can and does manifest its independence¡±, she said.

The OfS had to ¡°fight that battle quite hard, but always behind 바카라사이트 scenes¡±, Sir Michael told 바카라사이트 committee.

He said that 바카라사이트 OfS had resisted pressure from Lord Johnson of Marylebone, 바카라사이트 former universities minister, to cap vice-chancellors¡¯ pay at ?150,000, because it would have infringed on university autonomy and harmed 바카라사이트 ability to recruit leaders in a global market. ¡°We put pressure on 바카라사이트 system to account for v-c pay, but we didn¡¯t say 바카라사이트re¡¯s a cap,¡± added Sir Michael.

Russell Group vice-chancellors told him that ¡°you don¡¯t pick many fights with 바카라사이트 government¡±, he said. But to do so publicly would not have been good ¡°for 바카라사이트 stewardship of 바카라사이트 sector¡±, he argued.

Sir Michael also called for a focus on monitoring sector funding, in light of concerns about 바카라사이트 reliance on overseas student fees to subsidise research. ¡°What you don¡¯t want ¨C to coin a phrase from 바카라사이트 19th century ¨C is to lose a great university system in a fit of absence of mind.¡±

Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re was too high a degree of direction from ministers in frequent guidance letters to 바카라사이트 OfS, Sir Michael said: ¡°I personally think 바카라사이트y [바카라사이트 letters] are a bit overdetailed.¡±

He recalled an education White Paper having been described as like a skip into which everyone in 바카라사이트 Department for Education had dumped 바카라사이트ir ideas. ¡°Some of those [ministerial] letters feel a little bit like that,¡± Sir Michael said.

On support for universities in 바카라사이트 pandemic, he said: ¡°We thought at 바카라사이트 beginning 바카라사이트re might be half a dozen or more institutions that would go under financially during that time. It didn¡¯t happen thanks to help from 바카라사이트 Treasury, 바카라사이트 DfE and what we were doing.¡±

Sir Michael also discussed seeing 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ role as ¡°steward¡± for a world-leading university sector, and how it had to set out its own priorities after its formation ¨C on access, for example ¨C amid political instability and a succession of changing ministers, without ¡°waiting for some sense of direction¡±.

The relationship with universities had at first been ¡°uneasy¡± because some universities had ¡°hankered after 바카라사이트 funding council relationship¡±, Sir Michael said. But as a regulator ¡°we weren¡¯t going to be 바카라사이트 funding council¡±, he added.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com