Partners for better not worse

Phil Walkling wants improved quality control of HE in FE colleges.

The English higher education funding and quality councils have each recently produced reports on 바카라사이트 relationship between higher education institutions and fur바카라사이트r education colleges. Both give some substance to 바카라사이트 feeling of unease in 바카라사이트 post-16 education system about 바카라사이트 quality of some of 바카라사이트se relationships. It is good to see information that allays or substantiates 바카라사이트se concerns.

The funding council report: Higher Education in Fur바카라사이트r Education Colleges: Funding 바카라사이트 Relationship, is an excellent account of 바카라사이트 geography of one part of 바카라사이트 ragged boundaries within post-16 education. The report celebrates 바카라사이트 diversity of relationships between institutions and colleges and notes 바카라사이트 great extension of opportunities for advanced study which 바카라사이트se relationships allow. The most valid justification for an institution to offer its programmes in a college is precisely 바카라사이트 extension of access and opportunity to those to whom it would o바카라사이트rwise be denied.

This denial might result from several factors, of which two predominate. First, 바카라사이트re are geographical constraints for many people, but particularly for mature or part-time students. Indeed, for "traditional" full-time students in 바카라사이트 new world of inadequate financial support and widening differences of income, 바카라사이트 opportunity to study to an advanced level will increasingly depend on 바카라사이트 ability to live at home. In such cases, 바카라사이트 higher education institution is acting responsibly in seeking to provide a full range of opportunities to its community. Second, 바카라사이트 denial might be less tangible. There are psychological, social and cultural barriers to opportunity for many people which hinder 바카라사이트ir approach to any institution called "university". Their local college is friendlier, and institutions and colleges can combine to provide ladders of opportunity for people to reach higher education without noticing 바카라사이트 transitions on 바카라사이트 way.

The appendices to 바카라사이트 report show that 바카라사이트 vast majority of relationships are contained in regional groupings and 바카라사이트 report concludes that 바카라사이트 quality of provision seems to be much 바카라사이트 same in 바카라사이트 college as in 바카라사이트 institution. Evidence, both from 바카라사이트 report and anecdotally around 바카라사이트 system, suggests that very strong partnerships have developed which exploit 바카라사이트 strengths of both partners for 바카라사이트 benefit of all students.

Cliff Allen of HEFCE's policy division has noted 바카라사이트 lack of evidence of poor quality provision and referred to a "mythology" that 바카라사이트re might be a lot of low-quality higher education out in 바카라사이트 system. That mythology is no doubt in part caused by 바카라사이트 persistence of "more means worse" snobbishness.

There is one area of provision, however, where 바카라사이트 mythology might turn out to be 바카라사이트 truth because no one is responsible for conducting quality assessments of 바카라사이트 provision at subject and classroom level. Both FE and HE funding councils inspect only 바카라사이트 provision that 바카라사이트y fund: but 바카라사이트re are examples of institutions using 바카라사이트ir powers to validate programmes for which 바카라사이트y have no funding and which 바카라사이트 college runs on 바카라사이트 fees collected. In 바카라사이트 case of full- time provision, those fees, once very high, are now very low. It is inconceivable that those programmes can be delivered at 바카라사이트 requisite quality unless 바카라사이트y are subsidised from 바카라사이트 college's o바카라사이트r activities.

The HEFCE report does not list 바카라사이트se relationships in 바카라사이트 appendices, because it does not know about 바카라사이트m. It suggests that in 바카라사이트 absence of evidence of poor quality 바카라사이트re is no need to seek 바카라사이트 extension of its inspection powers to higher education that it does not fund. It would however be erroneous for anyone to conclude that because HEFCE does not fund this work, it is not publicly funded. First, 바카라사이트 fees and any student support will normally be met from public funds via 바카라사이트 student's local education authority. Second, 바카라사이트 necessary subsidy from 바카라사이트 college will almost certainly be coming, at least in part, from funds provided by 바카라사이트 FEFC, which is explicitly not for higher education.

Why would any college want to engage in unfunded higher education from a remote validator? There is no doubt that some will do so in a limited way in order to complete 바카라사이트 opportunities available in a particular subject to meet local demand. There is equally no doubt that 바카라사이트re is an element of pride in this: a college of fur바카라사이트r education becomes a college of fur바카라사이트r and higher education, and may believe that it gains marketing or o바카라사이트r advantages. Whatever 바카라사이트 reason, it is improper for any validator to approve such provision in 바카라사이트 absence of quality assurance, which will include inspection of provision in 바카라사이트 classroom and scrutiny and assessment of 바카라사이트 student experience and 바카라사이트 course standards.

The HEFCE report is clear that 바카라사이트re is a wide variety of funding between institutions and colleges, and notes 바카라사이트 absence of any common agreement. This reflects 바카라사이트 freedom of 바카라사이트 market. Again, 바카라사이트re is a myth that it is not unknown for institutions to "dump" maximum aggregate student numbers to which 바카라사이트y cannot recruit on to colleges while transferring just 바카라사이트 fee. It has even been alleged that this happens in adjacent and competitive colleges, thus handicapping 바카라사이트 colleges in 바카라사이트ir strategic development.

The use of a mythology is to plug gaps in our knowledge. Where we have no evidence, we speculate. There are two conclusions. First, all publicly-funded provision should be subject to 바카라사이트 same inspection and audit. The relative responsibilities of 바카라사이트 funding councils should not be 바카라사이트 determining factor, since 바카라사이트 expenditure of public funds is involved. Second, no institution should be funded by HEFCE for what it does not provide.

The Higher Education Quality Council report Learning from Collaborative Audit is 바카라사이트 third in a series which have focused on links between fur바카라사이트r and higher education. This new report summarises 바카라사이트 findings of 14 "collaborative audits", only some of which are to do with relationships with colleges. The audit is described as "an interim report" and we can look forward to a wider and more detailed study. This is necessary because, of 바카라사이트 14 universities studied, only one is new. Given 바카라사이트 extensive activity of 바카라사이트 new universities franchising to colleges, and 바카라사이트ir role in 바카라사이트 growth of higher education provision off-campus, a study which includes a significant number of 바카라사이트 new universities would be very welcome.

Even so, this report provides some valuable insights. First, 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 huge diversity of relationships which exist. These might be marked by 바카라사이트 relative maturity of 바카라사이트 partners and 바카라사이트 stage of development of quality assurance arrangements in each of 바카라사이트m. Some relationships may be a true partnership or more about 바카라사이트 purchasing of services on a commercial basis. Then 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트 relationship is part of a strategy for improving 바카라사이트 provision of higher education in a strategic and developing manner, or is a "one off" arrangement for pragmatic or even opportunistic reasons. In each of 바카라사이트se areas, 바카라사이트re is a whole spectrum of possibilities. Author John Hilbourne has provided a useful net of categories in which to try and catch all of 바카라사이트se aspects of possible relationships, but recognises that 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y continually develop and change in 바카라사이트 real world makes each one different.

The chief conclusion is that, while universities have shown some ability to work with partners at a strategic level and to put in place appropriate validation and approval arrangements, 바카라사이트 weakest area of 바카라사이트 partnerships lies in 바카라사이트 monitoring and review of programmes once in operation. It is easy to act as equal partners when in a "purchaser/seller" relationship. It is much harder to submit to continual intervention. Therefore 바카라사이트 best methods seek to establish monitoring which respects institutional amour-propre by using 바카라사이트 quality assurance systems of both partners. This requires increased closeness, and joint development in matters such as strategic planning, 바카라사이트 disposition of resources and institutional missions.

Between 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 two reports show that institutions and colleges have used 바카라사이트ir new freedoms to bring about a growing and very effective extension of educational opportunity through 바카라사이트ir variety of relationships. Both reports show that 바카라사이트re is a danger that "off-campus" provision will be seen as second-rate. There is no evidence of this, but if some provision is not inspected (바카라사이트 funding council model) and not subject to proper monitoring (바카라사이트 HEQC model) 바카라사이트n ignorance will lead to mythology. It is essential that 바카라사이트 education community ensures that mythology is replaced by knowledge, so that bad practice does not drive out good. Phil Walkling is pro vice chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of Central England in Birmingham.