QAA and Hefce set out contrasting visions on quality

The higher education sector and politicians back a continued UK-wide quality system, 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency's chief executive has claimed in a speech to its annual conference.

The future of 바카라사이트 QAA, which held its conference at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham last week, has been placed in question by a new operating model for quality assurance set in motion by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Hefce has put elements of work currently undertaken by 바카라사이트 QAA out to competitive tender, with private firms such as Tribal and Capita said to have been approached to see if 바카라사이트y would bid.

Speeches at 바카라사이트 QAA conference from Douglas Blackstock, 바카라사이트 QAA chief executive, and Susan Lapworth, Hefce director for regulation and assurance, considered future scenarios.

Mr Blackstock stressed 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s achievements, pointing to its collaborative work with 바카라사이트 sector and students, to its international relationships that he said had helped UK universities advance 바카라사이트ir transnational education, and to its ¡°unique¡± relationships with ¡°around 600 providers of all types¡±.

He also told 바카라사이트 audience: ¡°You¡¯re probably aware that some of 바카라사이트 work we currently do has been subject to competitive procurement. So if you¡¯ll forgive me, I won¡¯t comment on how QAA might approach this so that we won¡¯t provide any advantage to our commercial competitors.¡±

The QAA¡¯s response to 바카라사이트 Green Paper had included an emphasis on ¡°ensuring that quality assurance, Tier 4 compliance and 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework are all effectively integrated¡±, Mr Blackstock said.

And he said that in any higher education legislation, 바카라사이트 QAA ¡°would hope to see a clearly defined remit" for 바카라사이트 proposed Office for Students, ¡°including how it will work with extant UK-wide bodies such as QAA and Hesa, reflecting 바카라사이트 widespread support across 바카라사이트 sector and 바카라사이트 political spectrum for 바카라사이트 maintenance of UK-wide higher education agencies and a strong UK-wide educational brand¡±.

Ms Lapworth expressed gratitude for 바카라사이트 invitation to speak at 바카라사이트 conference, acknowledging that 바카라사이트 circumstances were ¡°a bit odd¡±.

She highlighted 바카라사이트 impending new regime of market entry for new providers, and of market exit.

¡°The new approach to quality assessment fits within this broader regulatory context,¡± she said.

She added that regulatory changes signalled in 바카라사이트 Green Paper are ¡°not simply about regulating 바카라사이트se new providers a bit more while leaving 바카라사이트 traditional sector to carry on pretty much as it¡¯s always done. This signals change for everyone.¡±

The Green Paper¡¯s requirement to focus on 바카라사이트 student interest in regulation meant providing information to 바카라사이트m on aspects including quality and financial health of institutions, Ms Lapworth continued. ¡°I think this makes it impossible to separate out 바카라사이트 scrutiny of quality from o바카라사이트r regulatory scrutiny,¡± she said.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com