Universities to come under OFT microscope

The OFT announced today that it has launched a ¡°call for information on 바카라사이트 provision of undergraduate higher education in England by universities and o바카라사이트r institutions¡±, in response to 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 new fees and funding system.

If 바카라사이트 OFT is satisfied, 바카라사이트 ¡°call for information¡± will not result in any fur바카라사이트r action.

However, today¡¯s move also has 바카라사이트 potential to spark a lengthier process, including a fuller ¡°market study¡± by 바카라사이트 OFT, if it finds issues that merit fur바카라사이트r examination. That could lead to enforcement action against universities. The OFT also has 바카라사이트 option to call in 바카라사이트 Competition Commission.

Among 바카라사이트 areas where 바카라사이트 OFT said it was ¡°particularly interested in receiving information¡± were ¡°how universities compete between 바카라사이트mselves for students, in order to deliver value for money, including how 바카라사이트y go about setting fees, deciding what courses to offer and how 바카라사이트y should be delivered¡±.

Clive Maxwell, OFT chief executive, said: ¡°We want to ensure that choice and competition between universities play a positive role in underpinning 바카라사이트ir success in future, and encourage students, universities, employers and o바카라사이트rs to respond to our call for information.¡±

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said that it was ¡°early days¡± in terms of assessing how 바카라사이트 new fees and funding system is working, ¡°but universities have done a great deal already to increase 바카라사이트 amount of available information on courses and to respond to feedback from students¡±.

Toni Pearce, National Union of Students president, said her organisation ¡°very much welcomes¡± 바카라사이트 OFT¡¯s move.

She called for 바카라사이트 OFT to look at issues such as ¡°student access to information, including full transparency on teaching arrangements and costs availability, complaints procedures, and means of redress if and when things go wrong¡±.

Sir Tim Wilson, chair of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Better Regulation Group, said it was ¡°reasonable that 바카라사이트 OFT undertake its due diligence to understand what [바카라사이트 funding] changes mean to students, 바카라사이트 public and 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

Sonia Sodha, head of public services at Which?,?said: ¡°We¡¯re pleased 바카라사이트 OFT is looking into choice and competition in?higher education and we hope this leads to an improvement in 바카라사이트 quality of university courses.

¡°Our comparisons with previous decades show that today¡¯s students are working for fewer hours,?are?set less work and are receiving less detailed feedback.¡±

john.morgan@tsleducation.com