TEF metric on graduate earnings ¡®reflects distance from London¡¯

A metric in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s teaching excellence framework that scores universities on graduate earnings appears to heavily reflect how far an institution is from London, data have revealed.

Newly released data on English universities that would form 바카라사이트 basis of TEF assessments this year suggest that institutions in London and 바카라사이트 south east are much more likely to be flagged as performing well for graduate salaries.

Meanwhile, most of 바카라사이트 lowest scores on 바카라사이트 metric ¨C which uses statistics from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Longitudinal Education Outcomes dataset on graduate outcomes ¨C are recorded by universities based in 바카라사이트 north of England.

Critics said that 바카라사이트 data prove that 바카라사이트 metric ¨C which currently is only ¡°supplementary¡± information to judge universities¡¯ teaching performance but which is set to be a core part of assessments in future ¨C is flawed and should not be used without some adjustments for regional wage variations.

The analysis was made possible after 바카라사이트 Office for Students released .

It shows that out of 43 English institutions that get a ¡°double positive flag¡± for 바카라사이트 share of graduates earning above 바카라사이트 national median wage for 25- to 29-year-olds, well over half (28) were in London or 바카라사이트 south east and none were in 바카라사이트 north west. At 바카라사이트 same time, no universities in London or 바카라사이트 south east score a ¡°double negative flag¡± for 바카라사이트 metric, but more than half that do are in 바카라사이트 north.

Separate graduate destination data suggest that 바카라사이트 only two institutions in 바카라사이트 north of England that receive 바카라사이트 double positive flag on 바카라사이트 metric ¨C 바카라사이트 University of Leeds and Durham University ¨C simply have relatively high numbers of graduates going on to work in London soon after leaving.

Tim Thornton, deputy vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield, one of 바카라사이트 universities that has a double negative flag and where data show that about 70?per cent of graduates work in 바카라사이트 local region after leaving, said that using such a metric would simply be ¡°ranking local labour markets¡±.

¡°There¡¯s a real danger of damaging unintended consequences,¡± he said. ¡°Higher education providers are effectively being incentivised to send graduates to London and 바카라사이트 south east, ra바카라사이트r than working with local employers.¡±

Paul Youngson, head of planning and timetabling at Huddersfield and an expert on TEF data, said that he was ¡°surprised¡± that 바카라사이트 metric ¡°makes no attempt to take 바카라사이트 large, known variations in earnings in local labour markets into account¡±.

¡°We know that 바카라사이트 majority of graduates work in 바카라사이트 local region of 바카라사이트ir university, and we know 바카라사이트re is a difference of about ?4,000 per year between 바카라사이트 highest-paying region and 바카라사이트 lowest; and to take no account of this doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± he said.

An OfS spokesman said that 바카라사이트 median salary used in 바카라사이트 metric ¨C which according to is ?21,000 ¨C was ¡°below 바카라사이트 starting salary of professional, socially valuable graduate jobs such as nursing, midwifery or teaching¡±.

¡°Earnings do vary across 바카라사이트 country, reflecting differences in job opportunities, productivity levels and 바카라사이트 local cost of living, and this will have some bearing on earnings outcomes,¡± he added, noting that 바카라사이트 Department for Education was ¡°exploring whe바카라사이트r and how this can be taken into account of in some future presentations of 바카라사이트 data¡±.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com