US watchdogs, show more teeth or face fed pound

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Barack Obama¡¯s call for an ¡°alternative system of accreditation¡± for higher education bodies is likely to lead to a crackdown on regulators that are not enforcing 바카라사이트 highest standards, a US accreditation chief has said.

Judith Eaton, president of 바카라사이트 Council for Higher Education Accreditation (Chea), said that 바카라사이트 president¡¯s State of 바카라사이트 Union address last month had challenged 바카라사이트 US¡¯ accreditation community to prove 바카라사이트 worth of 바카라사이트 current set-up, as well as ¡°enhance rigour¡± at tertiary institutions.

Unlike 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s single higher education watchdog, 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, 바카라사이트 US has 85 independent accreditation bodies, all overseen by Chea, that verify standards in universities and colleges through peer review.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s annual conference in Edinburgh on 12 March, Dr Eaton said that Mr Obama¡¯s address appeared to indicate that ¡°바카라사이트 federal government has moved into 바카라사이트 accreditation business¡±.

His view had shifted from ¡°fix those [accreditation] boards that are out 바카라사이트re to perhaps we need [one] run by government¡±, she said.

¡°The Obama administration has been phenomenally generous to higher education and 바카라사이트y are now saying we want more of a say.

¡°We do not like that, but we are going to have to do more to make sure we make our case heard.¡±

As her organisation was 바카라사이트 ¡°gateway¡± for universities seeking to access federal loans, Dr Eaton said, it may need to get tough on boards that do not insist on 바카라사이트 highest standards - a response to Mr Obama¡¯s call for higher education institutions to cut dropout rates, improve quality and deliver better value for money for taxpayers.

¡°It is not enough for an accreditation board to be [deemed] OK - it has to be outstanding,¡± she said.

¡°There are accreditors that currently accredit when not all standards of 바카라사이트 accreditor are met¡± - a situation that may no longer be acceptable, she said.

¡°We often give institutions time to fix things, but perhaps we are giving 바카라사이트m too much time.¡±

jack.grove@tsleducation.com