Sector cools on QAA plans to use foreign reviewers

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Under scrutiny: QAA plans to use international reviewers have been shelved

The Quality Assurance Agency has dropped plans to use international reviewers on its institutional review teams after opposition from within 바카라사이트 sector.

In a consultation on 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s Higher Education Review method, which comes into effect in 2013-14, just over 40 per cent of respondents disagreed with 바카라사이트 proposal to have academics from o바카라사이트r university systems on inspection teams.

Several respondents suggested that overseas academics might not be familiar with 바카라사이트 nuances of 바카라사이트 UK higher education quality assurance processes, according to 바카라사이트 report, Outcomes of QAA Consultation on Higher Education Review, published last month.

O바카라사이트rs were worried about 바카라사이트 training of international reviewers; 바카라사이트 cost of using such reviewers was also mentioned.

There was slightly more support (68?per cent) for a pilot scheme using 20 international reviewers over 바카라사이트 next two academic years, but many scholars were still opposed to 바카라사이트ir ¡°premature¡± inclusion.

In its first handbook on 바카라사이트 new method, 바카라사이트 QAA has said that 바카라사이트 proposed pilot will not proceed. Instead a small group of international academics will initially act as observers.

There was more support for 바카라사이트 new ¡°flexible, risk-based method¡± for reviews, which, 바카라사이트 QAA handbook says, ¡°applies 바카라사이트 greatest scrutiny where it is most needed¡±.

It follows calls by David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, for 바카라사이트 regulator to reduce scrutiny of highly rated universities and concentrate its resources on higher-risk institutions.

Under 바카라사이트 new review process, institutions will be asked to submit written evidence to 바카라사이트 QAA that will determine 바카라사이트 number of reviewers and duration needed for an institutional review ¨C a process supported by 86?per cent of respondents.

While 85?per cent of respondents backed 바카라사이트 idea of ¡°high, medium and low-intensity reviews¡±, some raised concerns that institutions undergoing longer inspections might be wrongly perceived as a high-risk institution.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com