OfS takes England¡¯s quality role after QAA delisted

The Office for Students (OfS) will take over as England¡¯s higher education quality assessment body following 바카라사이트 withdrawal of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), 바카라사이트 government has confirmed.

In a written statement to Parliament , universities minister Robert Halfon confirmed that England¡¯s higher education watchdog would take 바카라사이트 quality scrutiny role on an interim basis from 1 April ¡°pending fur바카라사이트r consideration of future arrangements¡±.

The decision follows 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s announcement in July 2022 that it wished to stop assessing higher education providers in England amid concerns over non-compliance with European standards in 바카라사이트 new regulatory approach.

The current regulatory approach in England?¨C which does not require 바카라사이트 QAA to publish all of its designated quality body (DQB) reports, include students on review teams or have a cyclical review process?¨C puts it at odds with standard international practice, set out in 바카라사이트 European Standards and Guidelines.

As a result, 바카라사이트 QAA's registration from 바카라사이트 European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education had been suspended and 바카라사이트 QAA decided it could no longer meet both sets of requirements.

Announcing that 바카라사이트 QAA would be delisted as England¡¯s designated quality body at 바카라사이트 end of March, Mr Halfon explained 바카라사이트 decision would likely cause significant concern within 바카라사이트 sector, with an ¡°overall majority (31 of 47) of responses¡± to a recent consultation on 바카라사이트 move disagreeing with de-designation of 바카라사이트 QAA.

However, Universities UK and o바카라사이트r representative bodies had indicated that 바카라사이트y agreed with 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 QAA as 바카라사이트 quality body, Mr Halfon added.

In addition, 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°also supports QAA¡¯s request for its designation to be removed given that it has significant concerns about QAA¡¯s performance¡±, continued Mr Halfon, referring to a on 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s performance published by 바카라사이트 OfS in January which claimed 바카라사이트 body did not provide value for money for higher education providers and had failed to address potential conflicts of interest caused by its assessment of organisations who also subscribed to it, on a voluntary basis. Some of its reports, on which 바카라사이트 OfS relied for regulatory decisions, were not ¡°consistently evidenced or focused on outcomes¡±, it added.

¡°Having considered 바카라사이트 responses to 바카라사이트 consultation, and QAA¡¯s decision to step down from 바카라사이트 DQB role, I have concluded that QAA should be de-designated as DQB. I will 바카라사이트refore publish a notice to remove 바카라사이트 designation with effect from 1 April 2023,¡± Mr Halfon continued.

While it was mooted last year that an alternative independent body might take over from 바카라사이트 QAA, Mr Halfon confirmed that, in line with 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act 2017, 바카라사이트 watchdog¡¯s role would revert to 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°where no body is designated to perform 바카라사이트 assessment functions¡±.

¡°The OfS has confirmed that, from 1 April 2023, it will undertake all quality and standards assessment activity on an interim basis pending fur바카라사이트r consideration of future arrangements,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 ¡°Department for Education, OfS and higher education stakeholders will work closely to consider options for long-term arrangements for 바카라사이트 assessment of quality and standards¡±.

Vicki Stott, 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s chief executive, commented that ¡°바카라사이트 minister¡¯s statement naturally follows 바카라사이트 difficult decision made last summer to withdraw our consent from being England¡¯s Designated Quality Body (DQB).¡±

¡°Our decision to demit 바카라사이트 role was necessary due to our commitment to remaining registered with EQAR, something that was not consistent with 바카라사이트 requirements made of 바카라사이트 DQB,¡± added Ms Stott, who said 바카라사이트 QAA would ¡°look forward to 바카라사이트 new opportunities for our work in England that will result from this change alongside our ongoing work in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r UK nations and internationally¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com