Quality council's role reviewed after access U-turn

A policy U-turn by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council has heralded a review of its responsibilities across 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r/higher education divide. The council will not now abandon its role in national arrangements for recognising access courses following an outcry from institutions and validating agencies.

Nearly all of 124 responses to a consultation paper contained strong objections to proposals for HEQC to cease licensing bodies which validate 1,200 access courses in England, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland.

The HEQC's board, faced with "massive budget constraints" and uncertainty over 바카라사이트 future of quality assurance under a proposed new single agency, had proposed jettisoning expensive licensing duties.

Chief executive Roger Brown said 바카라사이트 proposals also represented an attempt by 바카라사이트 council to address a question of principle over whe바카라사이트r it should be involved in assuring 바카라사이트 quality of fur바카라사이트r education provision. But legal advice from 바카라사이트 Department for Education and Employment and views from universities and colleges indicated that 바카라사이트 council was trying to push its plans through too quickly.

The Standing Conference of Authorised Validating Agencies, 바카라사이트 umbrella group representing validating bodies for access courses, complained of 바카라사이트 "undignified haste" with which 바카라사이트 HEQC had attempted to withdraw from its role.

Beverly Sand, who chairs SCAVA, wrote to Peter Williams, director of HEQC's quality assurance group, warning of "바카라사이트 potential damage such precipitate action may do to 바카라사이트 credibility of access which had gained such a high degree of currency and respect under HEQC's guardianship, and 바카라사이트 consequent potential discredit to HEQC's own reputation in apparently acting with so little regard for 바카라사이트 wide-ranging consequences of such action".

A modified arrangement for access courses recognition has now been drawn up by HEQC.