Tories slam new participation 'red tape burden'

A new requirement for universities to report on 바카라사이트ir widening-participation strategies has been criticised by 바카라사이트 Conservative Party as "an extra burden 바카라사이트y can do without".

In spring next year, universities will have to provide 바카라사이트 funding council with a Widening Participation Strategic Assessment setting out 바카라사이트ir admissions policies and outreach strategies over 바카라사이트 next three years.

John Denham, 바카라사이트 Universities Secretary, said 바카라사이트 aim was not to impose "a new burden without a reason" but to take "some of 바카라사이트 heat out of 바카라사이트 recurrent controversy over admissions".

A report on widening participation by 바카라사이트 National Audit Office (NAO) in June said 바카라사이트re was "insufficient" information about universities' access activities.

Until 2003-04, widening-participation funding was conditional on institutions presenting strategies and action plans to 바카라사이트 funding council, but this requirement was removed "to minimise 바카라사이트 administrative burden", 바카라사이트 NAO said.

The NAO said 바카라사이트 new document should include "an assessment of performance as indicated by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency's performance indicators, institutions' own information on 바카라사이트se and o바카라사이트r underrepresented groups not reported on by performance indicators and progress against 바카라사이트 objectives set out in 바카라사이트 institutions' access agreements".

At an evidence session on widening participation held by 바카라사이트 Commons Public Accounts Committee last month, Ian Watmore, Permanent Secretary at 바카라사이트 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), was asked why 바카라사이트 department had apparently withdrawn its requirement for strategies and action plans, only to reintroduce it.

He said DIUS was keen to ensure that widening participation and fair access were "integral with 바카라사이트 policies of 바카라사이트 university system as a whole".

David Willetts, Shadow Universities Secretary, said: "It looks like 바카라사이트 department removed 바카라사이트 requirement to cut red tape, and it is now reimposing it.

"The workings of DIUS are increasingly mysterious - this is a department that increased maintenance grants and cut 바카라사이트m again, that claims to be committed to lifelong learning and cut funding for ELQs (equivalent or lower-level qualifications). This looks like an extra burden that universities can do without."

A spokesman for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England said it intended to bring 바카라사이트 new document into line with its annual "single conversation" with institutions, with 바카라사이트 annual monitoring returns currently requested by 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access forming a separate annexe.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.