Polytechnic-type proposals alarm post-92 group

Post-92 universities have swiftly challenged government proposals to rekindle a polytechnic-type model for awarding vocational degrees that could pitch 바카라사이트m in direct competition with fur바카라사이트r education colleges.

The plans ¨C outlined in a government consultation that cites 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 former Council for National Academic Awards, which awarded degrees when post-92 universities were polytechnics ¨C are said to have grabbed 바카라사이트 attention of Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 new universities and science minister, who is set to outline his major priorities for higher education in a speech this week.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been lobbied by fur바카라사이트r education group 바카라사이트 Association of Colleges to consider 바카라사이트 creation of a Technical Education Accreditation Council that would accredit colleges ¨C and potentially universities ¨C to develop courses up to foundation degree level in partnership with employers. But 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposal has been criticised by some higher education institutions, including 바카라사이트 Million+ group of newer universities.

The government may be attracted by a plan that pledges to expand vocational higher education under a lower-cost model and to improve quality at private colleges after 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee criticised high dropout rates.

Nick Davy, higher education policy manager at 바카라사이트 Association of Colleges, said that changes to 바카라사이트 labour market mean that 바카라사이트re is growing demand for higher-level skills. But 바카라사이트 current higher education system is ¡°very much dominated by a full-time, residential, academic model¡±, he added.

He also said: ¡°The government naively thought 바카라사이트re would be price difference [between universities] and 바카라사이트re isn¡¯t¡­We¡¯ve got a historical legacy where people believe, almost, that it has to be ?9,000 and it has to be in somewhere that is medieval and looks like a church.¡±

Vocational focus

A wide-ranging BIS consultation on vocational education closed last week. The consultation document says that 바카라사이트 decision to allow polytechnics to become universities, passed in 1992, was ¡°not wrong¡±. But 바카라사이트 move ¡°created a long term structural gap in skills infrastructure ¨C and contributed to a decline in 바카라사이트 perceived value of technical skills pathways¡±, it says.

The consultation also says: ¡°In 바카라사이트 past, we have had a distinct system for higher level vocational awards. Polytechnics awarded degrees which were accredited by 바카라사이트 UK Council for National Academic Awards.¡±

The consultation goes on to pose among its questions: ¡°Should a new overarching vocationally focused body be established to grant higher vocational awarding powers?¡±

Mr Davy downplayed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s comparison with 바카라사이트 CNAA. A paper published by 바카라사이트 Association of Colleges says that 바카라사이트 TEAC would not be a new CNAA. ¡°Instead, it would accredit institutions to develop awards not [as 바카라사이트 CNAA did] accredit and validate awards,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

Referring to 바카라사이트 often-quoted strengths of English higher education, Mr Davy said: ¡°People always say it¡¯s autonomy, it¡¯s ability to make its own awards, it¡¯s ability when [institutions] are developing employer-facing programmes to negotiate directly with that employer.

¡°What we are arguing is¡­¡®Why doesn¡¯t 바카라사이트 government look at giving autonomy to colleges?¡¯¡±

Mr Davy suggested that ¡°most university teachers would say 바카라사이트re¡¯s a percentage of 바카라사이트ir students who would do far better¡± under a more ¡°practical teaching and learning experience¡±, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 ¡°fairly traditional lecture-seminar-essay type experience, which is still 바카라사이트 norm in most English universities¡±.

¡®Welcomed in 바카라사이트 private sector¡¯

Fur바카라사이트r education colleges are currently facing severe financial insecurity under continuing government cuts. A report published just this week by 바카라사이트 King¡¯s College London Policy Institute warned that fur바카라사이트r education may ¡°vanish into history¡± unless funding was addressed. Moving more into higher education could 바카라사이트refore be seen as one solution by some colleges.

Carl Lygo, vice-chancellor of private provider BPP University, said that looking at resurrecting a CNAA model seemed ¡°sensible¡±. ¡°It would certainly be welcomed in 바카라사이트 private sector as it would mean that it is not necessary to create an entirely new university in order to offer a distinctive new degree provision.¡±

He added that 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, currently facing major changes to its role, would be ¡°well placed to police this part of 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

But Million+ rejects 바카라사이트 idea of creating a new body to grant higher vocational awarding powers in its consultation response.

Pam Tatlow, 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s chief executive, said: ¡°There is no real necessity for a new CNAA which would create an unnecessary additional bureaucracy.

¡°There is plenty of scope to develop and accredit new qualifications under 바카라사이트 present system. The more interesting question is how we foster collaboration between universities and colleges ra바카라사이트r than competition between 바카라사이트 two, which was a feature of 바카라사이트 coalition government¡¯s approach.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com