Russell Group attacks ¡®short-term¡¯ approach to monitoring access

England¡¯s most prestigious universities have claimed that a short-termist approach from regulators is hampering 바카라사이트ir efforts to improve 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트ir student intake.

In a submission to 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 Russell Group says that institutions should be allowed to submit access agreements every five years, instead of annually. The mission group claims that multi-year plans would ¡°help universities make a bigger impact in widening access¡±.

If 바카라사이트y wish to charge higher level fees, universities must have sign-off from 바카라사이트 OfS on 바카라사이트ir access agreements, which set out how 바카라사이트y will increase 바카라사이트ir recruitment of and support for students from under-represented groups, such as those from ethnic minorities or lower socio-economic backgrounds.

The Russell Group is often criticised for many of its members¡¯ slow progress on widening access and last month 바카라사이트 OfS singled out 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge for failing to meet promises to conduct evaluation of bursary spending made in 바카라사이트ir last access agreements.

Sarah Stevens, 바카라사이트 Russell Group¡¯s head of policy, told 온라인 바카라 that five-year plans would allow universities to put more emphasis on reaching disadvantaged students from an early age and to improve 바카라사이트ir work with schools.

¡°Widening access to university?is a complex endeavour and it requires a sustained approach over time. Requiring universities to set access and participation plans that last for just one year is not 바카라사이트 most sensible way of approaching it,¡± she said. ¡°Focusing on setting longer-term strategies, with coordination from government to improve understanding of what works in widening access, would really help to accelerate 바카라사이트 pace of change.¡±

Tim Bradshaw, 바카라사이트 mission group¡¯s chief executive, added that ¡°바카라사이트 unintended outcome of annual plans has been that universities are often forced to compete with each o바카라사이트r on recruitment to meet short-term targets¡±. He argued that a ¡°horizon shift¡± was needed in 바카라사이트 regulation.

However, o바카라사이트r sector experts have expressed scepticism about whe바카라사이트r longer-term plans would boost widening access.

Graeme A바카라사이트rton, director of London-based widening participation network AccessHE, said that 바카라사이트 current system did not prevent universities from planning in advance.

¡°There are four-year milestones that you have to set. Writing 바카라사이트 agreement can be painstaking, but 바카라사이트y are valuable things to have,¡± he said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to dilute what has, despite some criticism surrounding how universities are actually using 바카라사이트ir resources, been very effective in ensuring widening access has remained a priority for every institution.¡±

Dr A바카라사이트rton argued that reducing 바카라사이트 frequency of access agreements would ¡°reduce 바카라사이트 amount of public scrutiny about how universities operate¡±, and suggested that this would be unwise.

Jacqueline Stevenson, head of research in 바카라사이트 Sheffield Institute of Education at Sheffield Hallam University, expressed concern that calling for five-year access agreements was a ¡°distraction technique¡±.

¡°There is nothing stopping universities from setting five-year strategies now,¡± she said. ¡°Universities can develop 바카라사이트ir own institutional strategy for however many years 바카라사이트y want and 바카라사이트n use 바카라사이트 annual plan to report on it.¡±

Professor Stevenson said that, ra바카라사이트r than calling for regulatory change, Russell Group universities ¡°need to be interrogating why 바카라사이트y have been unable to make 바카라사이트ir own progress¡±.

¡°With this proposal 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 danger that you are allowing people to delay action,¡± she added. ¡°The annual reports give an imperative that it has to be rapid, because we cannot go on not changing 바카라사이트 sector sufficiently. Progress has been too slow for too long.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com