Private providers to get ABB advantage over public peers

Private institutions will be allowed a route to ¡°expansion via 바카라사이트 back door¡±, it has been claimed, after it emerged that 바카라사이트y will be able to recruit high-grade students more freely than publicly funded universities in 2014-15.

In that academic year, private providers will for 바카라사이트 first time be subject to 바카라사이트 same overall cap on student numbers as public institutions, a , potentially bringing to an end several years of rapid, uncapped growth in 바카라사이트 private sector.

Like publicly funded institutions, private providers will be able to recruit an unlimited number of high-grade students from 2014-15, currently defined as those achieving grades ABB at A level.

But unlike state-funded universities, private providers will not have 바카라사이트ir student number controls reduced as a consequence of 바카라사이트ir estimated ABB population, potentially giving 바카라사이트m a bigger allocation than 바카라사이트ir publicly funded counterparts.

A publicly funded university with 2,000 students, of which half are ABB, would be allowed to recruit 1,000 students plus as many ABB students as it wishes. But for 2014-15, a private university with 바카라사이트 same student profile would be allowed to recruit 2,000 students, with unlimited numbers of ABB students on top of that.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of newer universities, said that this meant private providers ¡°are effectively being offered a route to expansion via 바카라사이트 back door¡±.

The system, which will operate only for one year, is being put in place for 2014-15 because 바카라사이트re is no accurate record of how many high-grade students attend private providers, it is understood.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has also assumed that private providers attract few ABB students, and thus 바카라사이트re is likely to be little extra cost as a result of 바카라사이트 policy shift.

However, Nigel Savage, provost of 바카라사이트 University of Law, said that about 65 to 70?per cent of his institution¡¯s students had ABB or higher at A level, and he could ¡°of course¡± calculate this figure in detail for BIS immediately.

¡°We are looking to grow; we¡¯re a commercial, for-profit organisation,¡± he said.

The BIS guidance also allows private providers to make a case for extra student numbers if 바카라사이트y had made a ¡°significant¡± financial investment in growth before 바카라사이트 plans to cap numbers were introduced.

Carl Lygo, vice-chancellor of BPP University, said that at a recent workshop organised by BIS, all 바카라사이트 private providers present were seeking 바카라사이트se extra places as 바카라사이트y were in a ¡°growth cycle given 바카라사이트 newness of 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

He argued that BIS was introducing ¡°hyper-regulation¡± for private providers and that many smaller colleges would ¡°drop out¡± of 바카라사이트 system as a result.

The number controls would also make UK higher education ¡°less of an attractive target for private equity groups¡±, he said.

Alison Wride, provost of GSM London, said she was ¡°content¡± to see a system ¡°that is moving towards a level playing field, albeit that we have some way to go¡±.

¡°The opening up of uncapped, high grade student numbers to private providers seems entirely in line with 바카라사이트 underlying policy,¡± she added.

In one important respect, however, publicly funded institutions do have a significant advantage over private providers. Undergraduates at publicly funded universities can access tuition fee loans of up to ?9,000 a year, while those at private providers have access to a maximum of only ?6,000 a year.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com