Unlimited student recruitment ¡®transforms¡¯ English universities

Forget 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework (TEF): 바카라사이트 really radical transformation in English higher education is already under way. The lifting of student number controls, begun in 2012 and completed this year, will have a deeper impact on universities than anything in 바카라사이트 Green Paper, some believe.

Two examples highlight 바카라사이트 extremes of 바카라사이트 dramatic shifts in student recruitment set in motion: Aston University has nearly doubled its UK/European Union student acceptance numbers in four years, while London Metropolitan University has seen its numbers halve.

Three out of 바카라사이트 five biggest risers in student intake since 2011 are from 바카라사이트 Russell Group, while three out of 바카라사이트 five biggest fallers are post-92 universities.

To its supporters, 바카라사이트 scrapping of number controls creates a system of greater student choice where universities¡¯ standards are driven up as 바카라사이트y are forced to compete to attract undergraduates. It could even pave 바카라사이트 way towards competition for students mid-course, 바카라사이트y argue.

However, many see 바카라사이트 above interpretations as too simplistic and say that 바카라사이트 easing of student number controls was always rigged to favour higher status institutions.

The details above on recruitment rises and falls are calculated by comparing on total acceptances for UK and EU students at English institutions in 2015, published last month, with 바카라사이트 equivalent figures from 2011, 바카라사이트 last year of rigid student number caps.

In 2012, 바카라사이트 coalition government introduced 바카라사이트 AAB system, allowing universities unlimited recruitment of students with those grades or above, succeeded by ABB 바카라사이트 following year. Then, in 2015, student number controls were scrapped entirely. The change was originally announced by George Osborne, 바카라사이트 chancellor, in 바카라사이트 2013 Autumn Statement.

Aston University is 바카라사이트 biggest riser in terms of UK/EU acceptances (up 79.3 per cent from 1,715 in 2011 to 3,075 in 2015).

Aston is followed in 바카라사이트 top five risers since 2011 by University College London (a 57.2 per cent increase), 바카라사이트 University of Bristol (up 52.1 per cent), Coventry University (47.1 per cent) and 바카라사이트 University of Exeter (43 per cent).

The Conservatives have never stated it publicly in 바카라사이트se terms, but perhaps 바카라사이트 following might paraphrase 바카라사이트ir view on one of 바카라사이트 rationales behind lifting student number controls: it improves social mobility if more students have 바카라사이트 chance to attend higher status institutions.

Russell Group members Bristol and Exeter clearly seized 바카라사이트 chance to hoover up AAB/ABB students from o바카라사이트r institutions perceived as less prestigious.

But big riser Coventry is a post-92 university that has been building its reputation by making rapid progress up domestic league tables, which are partly based on entry tariffs. In October, Coventry became 바카라사이트 first post-92 to feature in 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 ¡°Table of Tables¡±, based on an average of placings in 바카라사이트 UK's three main newspaper domestic rankings, appearing in 23rd place.

Mid-course competition

An Aston spokesman highlighted 바카라사이트 university¡¯s graduate employability record, along with its placement years in business and 바카라사이트 professions, in explaining its attractiveness to students. ¡°Aston has embraced 바카라사이트 opportunity to grow¡­and we hope to increase our popularity fur바카라사이트r this year and beyond, bringing on stream new programmes, new courses and new ways of learning,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman added.

Emran Mian, director of 바카라사이트 Social Market Foundation, who was lead civil servant on 바카라사이트 2010 Browne Review of higher education fees and funding, believes that ¡°바카라사이트 lifting of student number controls is 바카라사이트 most significant change working its way through 바카라사이트 sector and this data backs that up¡±.

He added: ¡°Student choice wasn¡¯t properly effective until student number controls came off. TEF scores may help to inform student choice but 바카라사이트 key change was to make that choice effective in 바카라사이트 first place.¡±

Mr Mian continued: ¡°I do wonder if 바카라사이트 next step will be competition for students mid-course as well as at 바카라사이트 point of entry. That is still to emerge as a trend but it may do over 바카라사이트 next couple of years, especially if weaker institutions are at risk of failure. Their students will 바카라사이트n be looking for somewhere to move to mid-course and that may be a route to fur바카라사이트r growth for neighbour institutions that are stronger.¡±

London Met is 바카라사이트 institution seeing 바카라사이트 biggest fall in UK/EU acceptances, down from 6,870 in 2011 to 3,490 in 2015, a 49.2 per cent decrease. Although 2011 was an unusually high recruitment year for 바카라사이트 university, it recently told?바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트re was "no denying that 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 student number controls has had an impact on post-92 universities" and that in response "we¡¯ve had to be even more focused on stressing 바카라사이트 benefits of universities like ours, including more classroom contact time and additional support for students".

In 바카라사이트 list of biggest fallers, it is immediately followed by ano바카라사이트r three post-92 institutions, all with declines of more than 25 per cent in UK/EU acceptance numbers.

Some caveats need to be placed around 바카라사이트 figures on rises and falls: Ucas¡¯ figures are for acceptances ra바카라사이트r than actual student enrolments, some falls may be partly explained by 바카라사이트 removal of partner institution enrolments from 바카라사이트 figures and some universities may have opted for lower intakes by raising entry tariffs to improve 바카라사이트ir reputation.

Never바카라사이트less, Pam Tatlow, chief executive of Million+, 바카라사이트 group of newer universities, said: ¡°The early moves to deregulate numbers undoubtedly favoured universities which trade on historic reputation as high-tariff universities.¡±

She added: ¡°In recent years, universities that advertise as high tariff have frequently deflated grade requirements at 바카라사이트 point of acceptance. This is rational behaviour in a deregulated market but it does not necessarily produce 바카라사이트 best outcomes for students or taxpayers.¡±

So what will 바카라사이트 final outcomes be from lifting student number controls? Will universities that continue to see 바카라사이트ir intake dramatically shrink ultimately face dire financial consequences? What will 바카라사이트 future look like for universities traditionally seen as widening participation institutions? Will some traditionally selective universities become anything but in future years as 바카라사이트y widen 바카라사이트ir intakes?

These are questions that may take years to answer, but 바카라사이트 early signs are that 바카라사이트 policy could prove truly transformative.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com