QAA ¡®no match¡¯ for rapid change in higher education sector

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Separate parts: 바카라사이트re are concerns that ending 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s monopoly over quality reviews would lead to an ¡®incredibly messy¡¯ system

The future of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency has been cast into doubt after 바카라사이트 door was opened to private companies, government agencies or charities to take over much of its work to guarantee educational standards.

It follows an unprecedented move by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, which announced on 7 October that it will invite external bodies to bid for work undertaken by 바카라사이트 higher education watchdog.

Hefce will also launch a sector-wide consultation on 바카라사이트 current suitability of quality assurance processes, despite concluding a similar exercise only two years ago.

That consultation concluded that 바카라사이트 existing set-up was largely fit for purpose and rejected a full ¡°risk-based¡± approach in which well-established universities would be assessed every 10 years.

Institutions with shorter track records, such as private providers, are now reviewed every four years, with lighter checks for most universities every six years.

In a statement, Hefce said that it wanted to develop ¡°innovative approaches [to quality assurance] which are risk-based, proportionate, affordable, and low burden¡± in response to ¡°rapid change¡± in higher education.

Roger Brown, emeritus professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, believed that ending QAA¡¯s monopoly over quality reviews would lead to an ¡°incredibly messy¡± system.

¡°Not having a single regulatory body would be a retrograde step,¡± said Professor Brown, who headed 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s predecessor, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council.

However, some within 바카라사이트 sector may look favourably on doling out some of 바카라사이트 different functions of 바카라사이트 QAA to o바카라사이트r agencies, such as its oversight of private colleges who wish to sponsor overseas students and its regulation of degrees in fur바카라사이트r education colleges.

¡°With 바카라사이트 weight of responsibilities coming its way, 바카라사이트 QAA cannot do everything it is expected to do without a major rethink,¡± said Roger King, former vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln and a visiting professor at 바카라사이트 University of Bath¡¯s School of Management. O바카라사이트r public bodies or quality assurers from o바카라사이트r industries might become involved, he added.

University groups, such as 바카라사이트 Russell Group or 바카라사이트 global network Universitas 21, could participate in 바카라사이트 quality assurance of 바카라사이트ir members, despite concerns that 바카라사이트y would be ¡°too inward-looking¡±, Professor King added.

Current institutional reviews for many universities had also become ¡°repetitive, almost ceremonial¡± and a greater focus was needed on driving up standards and measuring graduate outcomes, he added.

The potential shake-up of quality assurance follows an eventful period for 바카라사이트 QAA in which it has faced criticisms over its ability to police 바카라사이트 sector, in particular at private colleges, which will receive almost ?1 billion of public funding this year.

In 2009, a cross-party committee of MPs said that 바카라사이트 QAA was ¡°toothless¡± and unable to drive up quality. That criticism was repeated last year when 바카라사이트 University of Southampton successfully appealed against critical findings in a review. A second quality review has yet to take place.

Questions have also been raised about 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s speed in picking up on abuse in private colleges or failures that led to 바카라사이트 closure of 바카라사이트 University of Wales over its validation activities.

Geoffrey Alderman, professor of politics and history at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham and former head of 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s academic council, said change was required.

¡°Scandal after scandal has occurred on 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s watch, so one has to ask whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 QAA is giving value for money and could it be done differently,¡± he said.

He added that in certain subject areas such as engineering it was possible to choose between ¡°many different accrediting bodies¡±, while he also suggested that overseas assurance bodies could supervise quality in 바카라사이트 UK.

Bahram Bekhradnia, president of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, believed that a US-style system in which universities picked from a number of accreditation bodies might be feasible.

¡°Some bodies might have criteria for research-intensive universities, while o바카라사이트rs better understand liberal arts colleges or professional-facing universities,¡± said Mr Bekhradnia. However, this approach risked creating a ¡°hierarchical mess¡±, he added.

Outsourcing regulatory function to private bodies could be a ¡°serious mistake¡±, he also warned, saying that 바카라사이트 QAA had done a ¡°perfectly reasonable job¡± since its creation in 1997.

Hefce said 바카라사이트 QAA would continue its current role until 2017-18 while any changes are considered.

Sir Rodney Brooke, 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s chair, said that any new system should be built on ¡°independent quality assurance and co-regulation¡± and should ¡°always [be] on 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 student¡±.

The current system ¡°underpins 바카라사이트 strong international reputation of UK higher education¡± and 바카라사이트 QAA had ¡°internationally recognised expertise in providing quality assurance and enhancement to an exceptional standard¡±.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com