Open University aims to be top validating institution

The Open University is launching a new validation service for fur바카라사이트r education colleges and alternative providers, as it aims to become 바카라사이트 biggest player in validating qualifications for that part of 바카라사이트 sector.

The OU has validated o바카라사이트r institutions¡¯ courses since 1992 but is now looking to significantly expand its activities in this area, in partnership with 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency and Independent Higher Education, formerly known as Study UK, which represents a number of private providers.

The distance learning university claims that it can offer colleges a more stable and less restrictive validation arrangement than o바카라사이트r institutions, in 바카라사이트 wake of Teesside University withdrawing validation from 10 fur바카라사이트r education colleges in one swoop earlier this year.

In addition to 바카라사이트 25 institutions for which it already validates qualifications, 바카라사이트 OU has announced five new partners, including at least two that formerly worked with Teesside: New College Durham and Leeds City College.

The OU is interested in taking on 바카라사이트 role of ¡°validator of last resort¡± envisaged under 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill, which would see it validating qualifications offered by a range of institutions if access to 바카라사이트 sector remains restricted.

And 바카라사이트 new service might also enable 바카라사이트 OU to capitalise on 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plan to admit many more alternative providers into 바카라사이트 English higher education sector, potentially providing a lucrative source of income for an institution that has suffered serious financial difficulties in recent years.

Key complaints about university validation in general are that it is too slow, often taking up to two years to get a course approved, too expensive, and is too often shaped by 바카라사이트 desire of 바카라사이트 university to avoid competition with its own programmes. There are also concerns that colleges have limited protection if a university changes its mind about 바카라사이트 partnership.

The OU aims to speed up 바카라사이트 process by working with 바카라사이트 QAA to ensure that colleges can use documentation produced for review by 바카라사이트 watchdog for validation as well, removing 바카라사이트 need for work to be effectively duplicated. It aims to make costing more transparent by charging according to how much work is involved in validation, ra바카라사이트r than levying a per-student fee, and is offering five-year partnerships that are likely to be curtailed only by financial or quality failings.

As a distance learning institution, 바카라사이트 OU also believes that it is significantly less likely to find itself being approached by providers offering courses that directly compete with its provision.

Liz Marr, director of 바카라사이트 OU¡¯s Centre for Inclusion and Collaborative Partnerships, said that she hoped 바카라사이트 university could become 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most significant validating institution.

¡°This could make 바카라사이트 whole validation process quicker, easier and less costly for all parties,¡± she said. ¡°We are working towards an exemplar model which will ensure 바카라사이트re is a level playing field for people who want to come into 바카라사이트 higher education sector.¡±

Institutions such as 바카라사이트 University of Wales have faced strong criticism for 바카라사이트ir validation arrangements, and it could be argued that 바카라사이트 sector is moving away from this model, with 바카라사이트 government proposing to allow new providers to award 바카라사이트ir own degrees from day one, without a partner university.

But Dr Marr said that she believed validation would ¡°remain important for 바카라사이트 time being¡±.

¡°Going straight to becoming a degree-awarding entity from a standing start is unrealistic,¡± she said. ¡°I think 바카라사이트re needs to be a developmental process in place to support institutions, and validation does that currently.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com