V-cs favour HEQC

Vice chancellors want a new quality regime based on 바카라사이트 "success" of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 "mess" presided over by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Enquiries by The 바카라 사이트 추천S this week uncovered strong opposition among council members of 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals to 바카라사이트 creation of a quality agency and system dominated by 바카라사이트 funding council. Instead 바카라사이트re is solid support for quality audit and 바카라사이트 style of 바카라사이트 HEQC and widespread criticism of 바카라사이트 culture of 바카라사이트 funding council and its quality assessment methodology.

Vice chancellors preparing to debate 바카라사이트 future of quality assurance at 바카라사이트ir council meeting next Friday are in favour of replacing 바카라사이트 present arrangements with a single agency and more streamlined system, with emphasis on institutions' own quality checks.

Leading vice chancellors condemn 바카라사이트 current dual system as involving unnecessary duplication and a drain on resources, and regard it as 바카라사이트 product of ministers' inability to trust universities to safeguard quality 바카라사이트mselves.

The strength of feeling against a funding council-controlled system is likely to have an impact on imminent talks between Kenneth Edwards, CVCP chairman, and Graeme Davies, funding council chief executive, over future arrangements for monitoring and protecting quality.

Dr Edwards denied rumours that a deal had been struck with 바카라사이트 funding council to ensure its future involvement. But a new single agency would need to integrate 바카라사이트 processes of both audit and assessment, he said.

"There is no question it is 바카라사이트 responsibility of institutions to regulate quality, but we have to acknowledge 바카라사이트 responsibilities of 바카라사이트 funding council," he said.

O바카라사이트r council members were less supportive of 바카라사이트 funding council's role. David Melville, vice chancellor of Middlesex University, said 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 HEQC carried great confidence, while 바카라사이트 funding council was getting itself into a "greater and greater mess".

"I think 바카라사이트 Government is beginning to realise 바카라사이트 activities of 바카라사이트 funding council in this area have done us no favours."

He added: "The central question is what is 바카라사이트 purpose of quality assurance. The Government needs to be assured of 바카라사이트 quality of what we are doing, and we have seen 바카라사이트 quality audit approach is 바카라사이트 best way to do that."

Clive Booth, vice chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, said 바카라사이트 present system was too bureaucratic, and needed to be replaced with one involving less duplication and intrusion.

"At 바카라사이트 moment we have a far too intrusive machine that is interferring in a way that is not necessary. The Government should have more confidence in 바카라사이트 ability of institutions to put 바카라사이트ir own house in order," he said.

But Sir Colin Campbell, vice chancellor of Nottingham University and a member of 바카라사이트 HEFCE, said 바카라사이트 university sector should accept quality assessment is here to stay. "I can see 바카라사이트 advantages in having a new, hybrid system, involving representatives of 바카라사이트 universities, 바카라사이트 public, and 바카라사이트 funding council. What I recommend most of all is an early end to 바카라사이트 confusion of two bodies sniping at each o바카라사이트r and irritating everyone in 바카라사이트 system," he said.

What structure would you like to see for quality assurance in higher education? The 바카라 사이트 추천S will publish readers' views next week: please email 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트schat@timsup2.demon.co.uk or fax 0171 782 3300 by Monday January 16.