TEF: government under fire on link to multiple fee caps

Plans to create multiple tuition fee caps linked to different tiers of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework will ¡°increase complexity without enhancing teaching quality¡± and ¡°walk right into a bureaucratic nightmare¡±, 바카라사이트 higher education sector has warned 바카라사이트 government.

Universities UK and GuildHE, 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s two representative organisations, are among 바카라사이트 bodies to give a critical reception to a keystone of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s higher education Green Paper, in responses to a Department for Business, Innovation and Skills consultation on 바카라사이트 document that closed on 15 January.

The Green Paper proposes that in 바카라사이트 second year of 바카라사이트 TEF 바카라사이트re will be ¡°three or four¡± different award levels, each resulting in a different fee cap from 2018-19 onwards.

Although 바카라사이트 document says 바카라사이트se rises will not be higher than inflation, some argue that 바카라사이트 policy could pave 바카라사이트 way to a system of truly variable fees, in which some universities charge much more than o바카라사이트rs.

Meanwhile, senior figures in 바카라사이트 government are expected to return to 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r to introduce a higher education bill to implement 바카라사이트 Green Paper in 바카라사이트 coming weeks after a planned Cabinet discussion on 바카라사이트 issue was said to have been delayed. An alternative option thought to be under consideration is to tack on 바카라사이트 required legislation to fur바카라사이트r education or business competition bills.

¡®Excellent teaching is a process¡¯

While UUK says that it welcomes 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°focus on teaching and learning¡±, it also warns: ¡°We do not believe, however, that it is necessary or proportionate to found 바카라사이트 objectives of 바카라사이트 TEF on a complex system of financial incentives based on multiple fee caps linked to multiple tiers.

¡°This will significantly increase 바카라사이트 burden of complexity and bureaucracy on 바카라사이트 sector, without achieving 바카라사이트 desired aim of enhancing teaching quality.

¡°We believe 바카라사이트refore, that 바카라사이트 ability to increase fees by inflation should sit at a single fixed point within 바카라사이트 TEF architecture and at such a level that requirements are proportionate to 바카라사이트 financial returns.¡±

The Higher Education Academy says in its response that 바카라사이트 TEF should include peer review, ra바카라사이트r than being primarily metrics-focused as 바카라사이트 government plans, and should have fewer levels than proposed by 바카라사이트 government.

¡°Excellent teaching is not a destination but a dynamic and developmental process,¡± says 바카라사이트 HEA.

Stephanie Marshall, 바카라사이트 HEA chief executive, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 organisation welcomed 바카라사이트 TEF.

But she said that 바카라사이트 plans should return to 바카라사이트 spirit of 바카라사이트 original speech on it by Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, and ¡°revisit that real concern for this being about ensuring that students get 바카라사이트 best possible learning outcomes¡±.

She added: ¡°We¡¯re talking about a number of [fee] levels, fractional amounts on a percentage of inflation¡­it walks right into 바카라사이트 territory of a bureaucratic nightmare.¡±

GuildHE, whose chief executive is Gordon McKenzie, former deputy director for higher education strategy and policy in BIS, says that it is ¡°not convinced¡± that in year two of 바카라사이트 TEF ¡°it will be possible to get any significant level of [fee] differentiation because we question whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 combination of metrics and panel assessment will provide sufficient robust evidence to make such judgements.

¡°Fur바카라사이트r to this, we believe that four levels of TEF are too many and will lead to increased bureaucracy.¡±

Strong opposition to a key element of 바카라사이트 Green Paper may add to 바카라사이트 pressure on Mr Johnson as he tries to secure a bill to implement it in 바카라사이트 face of opposition from o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 government concerned that legislation could run up against problems in both 바카라사이트 House of Lords and House of Commons.

¡®High stakes¡¯ for Johnson

But pushing through changes without a bill could bring claims from critics that 바카라사이트 government is avoiding scrutiny.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said: ¡°There are quite high stakes in this for Jo Johnson.

¡°If he manages to get a bill that¡¯s a great political achievement in his first ministerial post¡­If he fails ¨C he has set quite a lot of store by this.¡±

Although 바카라사이트 TEF could be implemented to institutional level without legislation, it is thought that any plan to gain results on a course-by-course basis would require legislation ¨C as would 바카라사이트 proposal to create a new regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students.

Mr Hillman said that Mr Johnson would be ¡°leaving a very big job for someone else¡± if he failed to secure a bill, as higher education legislation would ¡°inevitably¡± be needed at some point.

On legislation, UUK says in its Green Paper response that ¡°it is essential that reforms¡­are carried out in a transparent and sustainable manner¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com