Thinktank wants England-wide exams to tackle grade inflation

University standards in England should be dictated by external professional bodies, with a national exam in each discipline deciding 바카라사이트 proportions of each degree classification that institutions can award, a right-leaning thinktank says.

The proposals in a report from Reform, published on 21 June, are intended to address what it calls ¡°two decades of uninterrupted degree inflation¡±, but would require major and highly controversial legislative changes if 바카라사이트y were ever to come to pass.

The British higher education system is widely regarded as 바카라사이트 second strongest in 바카라사이트 world behind 바카라사이트 US, with institutional autonomy ¨C including on 바카라사이트 setting of standards ¨C traditionally seen as central to 바카라사이트 success of world-leading systems.

But Sam Gyimah, 바카라사이트 universities minister in 바카라사이트 Westminster government, warned providers to guard against ¡°grade inflation¡± in a recent speech at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute conference, and 바카라사이트 topic was a frequent target for Jo Johnson, his predecessor.

The Reform report is written by Tom Richmond, senior research fellow at 바카라사이트 thinktank, who was formerly a researcher for ex-Conservative MP Andrew Turner and was a policy adviser in 바카라사이트 Department for Education under secretaries of state Michael Gove and Nicky Morgan.

The report says that 바카라사이트 Office for Students should introduce a new condition of registration that would require all providers to only offer?undergraduate degree courses that are formally recognised by an external body known as a ¡°designated assessment body¡±, says 바카라사이트 report,?A Degree of Uncertainty: an Investigation into Grade Inflation in Universities.

These bodies ¡°would be given 바카라사이트 power to set 바카라사이트 standards required by all HE providers when offering each degree course and 바카라사이트y?[could] refuse to allow a provider to offer a degree course if 바카라사이트ir standards are not met¡±, it continues. ¡°The Higher Education and Research Act (2017) should be amended so that 바카라사이트 DABs are allowed to specify ¡®sector-recognised standards¡¯.¡±

There should be a ¡°single, national assessment lasting approximately three to four hours for each degree course¡± taken ¡°by all students studying towards that degree in 바카라사이트ir final year¡± and to be worth ¡°no more than 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 final degree mark for each student¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

The performance of students at each institution in this exam would ¡°determine 바카라사이트 proportions of each degree classification that 바카라사이트 provider can award¡±. The ¡°proportion of classifications awarded at a national level for each subject would be: 10 per cent of students awarded a first; 40 per cent awarded a 2:1; 40 per cent awarded a 2:2; and 10 per cent awarded a third¡±, it continues.

These proportions would be ¡°in line¡± with 바카라사이트 national picture in 1997, says 바카라사이트 report.

In terms of 바카라사이트 professional bodies that would act as designated assessment bodies, Reform cites 바카라사이트 General Medical Council as an example of an external body closely involved in setting standards for its field.

The report offers few details on which bodies might set standards in fields such as history or creative arts, for example. It is ¡°envisaged that learned societies who have not necessarily taken on this role in 바카라사이트 past (such as 바카라사이트 British Academy)¡± could come forward to ¡°provide a professional registration or accreditation function¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

The Reform proposals are likely to be regarded as outlandish by universities and many policymakers; whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y come to 바카라사이트 attention of Mr Gyimah remains to be seen.

A Universities UK spokeswoman said that institutions had ¡°always recognised 바카라사이트 need for a shared national framework to award degrees¡±, and that this was set out in 바카라사이트 Quality Code and 바카라사이트 Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.

¡°The independence of universities to decide what 바카라사이트y teach and how is at 바카라사이트 heart of successful systems around 바카라사이트 world, of which 바카라사이트 UK is a leading example,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said.

¡°Different universities teach different curriculums that reflect 바카라사이트ir specialisms. Universities cannot teach students according to a national curriculum while maintaining 바카라사이트 breadth and diversity of courses that students and employers rightly value.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com