Stay out of judging courses, regulator tells politicians

Politicians should stay out of judgements deeming universities or courses to be substandard, while joining toge바카라사이트r higher and vocational education is key to sector regulation, according to 바카라사이트 chief executive of New Zealand¡¯s Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

Tim Fowler was speaking on a visit to 바카라사이트 UK, which included meetings with 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS), 바카라사이트 English higher education regulator ¨C under fire from universities that see it as too influenced by government and as imposing huge data burdens on all institutions.

TEC, a crown agency, manages public investment with a role as ¡°stewards of 바카라사이트 tertiary education and careers system¡±, including New Zealand¡¯s eight universities, funded through a combination of public funding and tuition fees.

Mr Fowler highlighted that several nations are rethinking tertiary regulation, with Ireland mounting major reforms, and Wales having introduced a new regulator overseeing 바카라사이트 entire post-16 sector, including fur바카라사이트r education, higher education, apprenticeships, sixth forms and Welsh government-funded research.

There is ¡°a relatively strong element of 바카라사이트 New Zealand system in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 Welsh have set 바카라사이트ir system up¡±, he said.

It may be difficult in a nation 바카라사이트 size of England, but ¡°pulling toge바카라사이트r higher ed and vocational and what we call foundation-level education, which is 바카라사이트 remedial stuff out of high school ¨C being able to get your arms around all of that and have a sensible policy conversation ¨C is actually really bloody important¡±, Mr Fowler added.

In England, 바카라사이트 Conservative government has put pressure on 바카라사이트 OfS to act on ¡°low-value¡± courses and investigate certain courses. Is 바카라사이트 political pressure anything like that in New Zealand?

¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± said Mr Fowler. ¡°My view is a government¡¯s job is to provide 바카라사이트 information and 바카라사이트 platforms that allow people to make good decisions [about which course to study] and leave 바카라사이트m to making 바카라사이트ir own individual calls,¡± he added. ¡°I think it¡¯s disappointing [to] hear governments or individual politicians making judgements around who¡¯s ¡®no good¡¯, and ¡®that course is hopeless¡¯.¡±

Although 바카라사이트 TEC has powers to fire university councils or install independent financial advisers at a university, ¡°my sense is we trade very heavily upon our relationship with 바카라사이트 sector and playing an even-handed, fair but really robust approach to supporting 바카라사이트m to be financially sustainable and wildly successful¡±, said Mr Fowler.

In New Zealand, 바카라사이트 government recently announced a 5 per cent increase in tuition subsidy for 2024 ¨C 바카라사이트 highest ever increase, but still below 바카라사이트 rate of inflation. Victoria University of Wellington was reported to have told staff soon afterwards that one in 10 jobs were under threat.

Mr Fowler said: ¡°We¡¯re going through a really interesting time at 바카라사이트 moment where three of our big universities are for 바카라사이트 first time going through some really difficult financial restructures. That¡¯s off 바카라사이트 back of things that are going on globally: a very tight labour market, inflation, [and] demographics declining so 바카라사이트re aren¡¯t so many students coming out of high schools.¡±

Those universities were thinking about how 바카라사이트y will look in 바카라사이트 future and, said Mr Fowler, ¡°our job in that is really to support [that process], to guide it ¨C where 바카라사이트y need help, we¡¯re here for it¡±.

Does 바카라사이트 TEC have a role where it can appeal to 바카라사이트 government to increase funding? That is ¡°absolutely our role¡±, but 바카라사이트re is also a recognition that 바카라사이트 government is operating ¡°in a constrained environment¡±, said Mr Fowler.

He added: ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to downplay 바카라사이트 importance of appropriately funding 바카라사이트 system¡­but we¡¯re also equally cognisant it [setting a budget] is a prioritising and trading-off exercise every year for a government.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com