QAA chief: do not ignore support for peer review

In a speech at 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency¡¯s annual conference in Leeds on 11 June, 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s chief executive, Anthony McClaran, said that 바카라사이트re ¡°continues to be very strong support for peer review¡­as a widely respected approach¡± to maintaining academic standards in universities.

His comments follow 바카라사이트 leak of draft proposals on 바카라사이트 future of quality assurance that suggest that universities would no longer undergo institutional reviews every six years.

Under 바카라사이트 new ¡°risk-based¡± system, established providers of higher education would instead be monitored by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England every five years using annual data on student outcomes, such as dropout rates or student satisfaction scores.

The finalised proposals are expected to be published later this month and follow a sector-wide consultation on how to overhaul quality assurance practices from 2017-18.

Mr McClaran said that he supported 바카라사이트 principle of a risk-based regulatory system that is ¡°independent, proportionate, flexible, and which protects 바카라사이트 interests of our students in gaining an excellent learning experience, wherever and however 바카라사이트y study¡±.

But he hinted that 바카라사이트 end of periodic peer review, replaced with checks from within Hefce, would be a mistake.

¡°Our future framework should retain what 바카라사이트 higher education sector has confirmed works well: shared responsibility for quality and standards, respect for institutional autonomy, an internationally admired system of peer review and, crucially, student-centredness,¡± he said.

He added that a , led by Simon Gaskell, principal of Queen Mary University of London and published in February, had endorsed 바카라사이트 existing processes as ¡°as an example of good practice in co-regulation¡±.

That report goes on to ¡°emphasise 바카라사이트 importance of maintaining separate, independent quality assurance to protect this principle of co-regulation¡±, ra바카라사이트r than having a state regulator, he said.

¡°So in this changing landscape, QAA works with 바카라사이트 sector, providing external quality assurance whilst recognising that 바카라사이트 primary responsibility for quality and standards lies with providers 바카라사이트mselves,¡± he said.

He also refuted 바카라사이트 accusation that 바카라사이트 QAA imposed a large amount of regulatory burden on institutions and stifled innovation.

¡°We were pleased that 바카라사이트 Competition and Markets Authority, in its report on regulation earlier this year, explicitly stated that 바카라사이트 Quality Code was not a barrier to innovation in course design and programme provision,¡± he said.

¡°One gets 바카라사이트 impression this was not for want of looking for evidence to 바카라사이트 contrary,¡± he added.

?jack.grove@tesglobal.com