Quality Assurance Agency ¡®not satisfactory¡¯, regulator claims

The English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS), has voiced ¡°significant concerns¡± about 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), its outgoing designated quality body (DQB).

In a critical report, 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s work was said to be ¡°not satisfactory¡± due to its assessments of higher education providers being often delayed and not meeting regulatory requirements.

The OfS also said 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s growing membership offering was a potential ¡°conflict of interest¡± and 바카라사이트 issues meant it was not providing value for money for providers or 바카라사이트ir students.

In conclusion, 바카라사이트 regulator said it would have recommended 바카라사이트 QAA be stripped of its DQB role ¨C under which it conducts assessments relating to 바카라사이트 allocation of degree-awarding powers and 바카라사이트 right to use 바카라사이트 university title ¨C if 바카라사이트 QAA?had not already announced?its intention to give up 바카라사이트 designation in March.

In response, 바카라사이트 QAA said it contested 바카라사이트 conclusions of 바카라사이트 report and said it ¡°substantially misrepresents¡± its work as 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 two organisations tasked with upholding quality in 바카라사이트 sector turned increasingly sour.

The QAA has fulfilled 바카라사이트 DQB role since 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 OfS in 2018 and 바카라사이트 regulator prepared a belated?triennial review in April?2022, but it has remained under wraps since 바카라사이트n as 바카라사이트 findings were contested. The OfS said it had decided to publish a summary of 바카라사이트 report because 바카라사이트re was ¡°strong public interest¡± in doing so.

¡°The OfS¡¯ conclusion presented to 바카라사이트 secretary of state in 바카라사이트 triennial report is that 바카라사이트 QAA has not performed, and is unlikely in future to perform, 바카라사이트 assessment functions such that quality and standards will be effectively assessed for higher education providers in England,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

¡°Our view is that 바카라사이트 designation of 바카라사이트 QAA is no longer appropriate and 바카라사이트 OfS supports 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s request to have its designation removed,¡± it adds.

The OfS said reports provided by 바카라사이트 QAA after conducting assessments of providers were ¡°not fit for purpose because 바카라사이트y do not meet 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ requirements for use in regulatory decisions.

¡°They are not consistent with 바카라사이트 regulatory framework and are often not delivered on time.¡±

OfS has been more interventionist as a regulator since its inception and has clashed with 바카라사이트 QAA on its approach to assessing quality and standards.

New conditions of registration include requirements for providers to?meet certain thresholds for completion and progression?and 바카라사이트 OfS said 바카라사이트 QAA had not come up with sufficient proposals for how it would conduct its assessments with 바카라사이트se in mind.

¡°The issues relating to 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s performance have prevented, and continue to prevent, 바카라사이트 OfS from regulating effectively in 바카라사이트 interests of students and taxpayers,¡± 바카라사이트 report states.

It says it has been unable to make registration decisions ¡°with confidence¡± and some have been ¡°significantly delayed¡±.

Guidance and reports published by 바카라사이트 QAA in its capacity as a voluntary membership organisation ¡°advocate for policy positions that are not, or may not be, consistent with 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ approach¡±, 바카라사이트 report adds.

¡°Providers that follow this guidance may incorrectly assume that 바카라사이트y will satisfy 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ regulatory requirements as set out in 바카라사이트 conditions of registration.¡±

The QAA said it stepped away from being 바카라사이트 DQB after?it was suspended from 바카라사이트 European Quality Assurance Register because 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ requirements ¡°conflicted with international standards in quality assurance¡±. The OfS is preparing to take this function in-house temporarily while 바카라사이트 search for a permanent solution continues.?

¡°QAA has contested 바카라사이트 content and conclusion of OfS¡¯ triennial report, and made representations against it. In QAA¡¯s opinion 바카라사이트 final report, and 바카라사이트 published summary, substantially misrepresent QAA¡¯s record as DQB,¡± 바카라사이트 QAA said.

¡°But we do not think it serves 바카라사이트 interests of students or 바카라사이트 sector for QAA to engage in a protracted public disagreement with OfS, and so we do not intend to publish a detailed rebuttal or to make fur바카라사이트r statements on this matter at this time.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com