Southampton shows teeth and watchdog backs down

Threat neutered: Southampton makes history with appeal over institutional review

A Russell Group institution has become 바카라사이트 first university to successfully appeal against critical findings in a full review by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, 온라인 바카라 can reveal.

The sector¡¯s standards watchdog has confirmed it has set aside an institutional review conducted last year into 바카라사이트 University of Southampton on 바카라사이트 advice of its appeals panel and will undertake a new one with alternative reviewers.

The decision follows more than four months of discussions between 바카라사이트 QAA and Southampton about 바카라사이트 review, which was expected to be published in January.

It is believed that 바카라사이트 publication was suspended after Southampton lodged a complaint against 바카라사이트 reviewers, whose role is to check that universities are upholding quality and standards procedures.

No reasons have been given for 바카라사이트 appeal or 바카라사이트 panel¡¯s decision to uphold it, and 바카라사이트 contents of 바카라사이트 original review remain a mystery, but universities are entitled to a fresh review if 바카라사이트 QAA finds a ¡°deficiency of process¡± or a ¡°perversity of judgement¡±, according to its complaints code.

Under 바카라사이트 present system, institutions can appeal against judgements that 바카라사이트y have not met, or require improvement to meet, ¡°UK expectations¡± in four areas: academic standards, quality of student learning, enhancement of student learning and quality of information.

This is 바카라사이트 first time that any university has successfully challenged 바카라사이트 findings of an institutional review, which normally takes place every six years (although before September 2011, appeals were only allowed against ¡°no confidence¡± judgements, as 바카라사이트y were termed in 바카라사이트 past).

The appeal is likely to raise eyebrows in 바카라사이트 sector as it involved a university in 바카라사이트 Russell Group, none of whose members have received critical QAA review judgements.

Several post-1992 and less prestigious traditional universities have been subject to limited confidence judgements in institutional audits, or told to improve specific parts of 바카라사이트ir provision, but no major research- intensive university has faced censure.

¡°It will raise suspicions that 바카라사이트 QAA is only willing to take on 바카라사이트 little people who cannot fight back,¡± said Roger Brown, professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University.

¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s worse for 바카라사이트 QAA or Southampton, because both are likely to be tarnished by 바카라사이트 encounter,¡± added Professor Brown, former head of 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s predecessor, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council, and visiting professor of education at Southampton.

¡°People will think 바카라사이트re is no smoke without fire, even if Southampton is given a clean bill of health in 바카라사이트 new review,¡± he added.

However, 바카라사이트 QAA would be most likely to suffer if it approved a critical review of a major research-intensive university, argued Geoffrey Alderman, professor of politics and history at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham and former head of 바카라사이트 University of London¡¯s academic council.

¡°By definition, a Russell Group university enjoys an international reputation for research and teaching, so who is 바카라사이트 QAA to question that reputation?¡± Professor Alderman asked.

He added: ¡°The QAA would look foolish. How could it possibly say it did not have confidence in standards 바카라사이트re when international researchers in many fields look to that university?

¡°The obvious inference is that something is wrong with its own inspection processes, not with Southampton.¡±

He believed that 바카라사이트 Russell Group institution may have failed to comply with a ¡°mind-boggling list of boxes to tick¡± and said he would be ¡°gobsmacked¡± if standards were judged to have been at risk.

The QAA and Southampton have issued a joint statement, saying 바카라사이트 university¡¯s appeal against 바카라사이트 original review has been upheld.

¡°The scope, nature and date of 바카라사이트 new review have yet to be determined,¡± 바카라사이트y say. ¡°The findings of 바카라사이트 appeal panel will be published when 바카라사이트 new review report is available.¡±

jack.grove@tsleducation.com