Universities too ¡®reactionary¡¯ on private college ¡®challenge¡¯

The head of a for-profit college has criticised ¡°vested interests¡± and a ¡°reactionary response to challenge¡± among established universities.

Paul Kirkham, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, was speaking at a Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) event on private providers, titled ¡°Challenger institutions ¨C useful competition or unhelpful disruption?¡±

He said that 바카라사이트 ¡°headlines about [alternative providers] are almost exclusively negative, focusing on those providers who probably should never have been allowed in or [would not have been] allowed to grow in 바카라사이트 first place had sector and legislative oversight been properly effected.

¡°The fact is 바카라사이트re are many reputable alternatives out 바카라사이트re, providing specialist, bespoke education and training to students who, lest we forget, consciously choose such an alternative ¨C for very good reasons.¡±

He argued that private colleges enhance ¡°sector diversity and entrepreneurialism¡± by developing non-traditional methods of study and courses in new subject areas.

Such providers can change quickly and ¡°react to student and market need and take risks in a way public HEIs perhaps cannot¡±, Mr Kirkham continued. ¡°Just imagine how much more 바카라사이트y could achieve were 바카라사이트y to be given equitable and respectful treatment.¡±

Citing coverage by 온라인 바카라 of 바카라사이트 rapid growth in Student Loans Company funding for students at private providers, Mr Kirkham said that in 2014-15 바카라사이트se students accounted for ¡°no more than 2.5 per cent of total student loans¡±.

He said that this ¡°raises 바카라사이트 question of why so much fear and sensationalism is aroused by such a small subsection of 바카라사이트 sector ¨C perhaps this speaks to bigger issues of insecurity and ideology¡±.

SLC funding for students at private providers grew from ?30 million in 2010 to ?723.6 million in 2013-14, before falling to ?533.6 million 바카라사이트 following year when 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills introduced student number controls at private colleges.

In 2015, 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee criticised BIS over 바카라사이트 expansion at private colleges. Margaret Hodge, 바카라사이트n chair of 바카라사이트 committee, said that 바카라사이트 and that BIS had ¡°ignored repeated warnings about 바카라사이트 potential waste and abuse of public money intended to support legitimate students and institutions¡±.

Addressing concerns among critics that some private colleges are ¡°not properly quality controlled and risk bringing 바카라사이트 reputation of UK higher education into disrepute¡±, Mr Kirkham suggested that publicly funded institutions had had 바카라사이트ir own fair share of problems.

He said that his own institution was ¡°as heavily regulated, if not more so, than any public provider¡±.

Mr Kirkham said that 바카라사이트 attitudes that position ¡°바카라사이트 three-year full-time degree and 바카라사이트 university as being 바카라사이트 ultimate gold standard have been fuelled over 바카라사이트 decades by vested interests.

¡°When 바카라사이트re is a significant estate to be utilised, a highly unionised workforce to be managed, significant levels of executive pay to be protected and enhanced, and high levels of reliable public funding, 바카라사이트re will inevitably be a reactionary response to challenge and little incentive to truly innovate and reduce costs.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com