V-cs voice ¡®significant concern¡¯ on regulator¡¯s ¡®quality¡¯ metrics

The English regulator¡¯s plan to judge institutions using an absolute baseline on student outcomes, including proportions going into ¡°managerial and professional¡± jobs, could deter universities from recruiting disadvantaged students, vice-chancellors have warned.

The Office for Students¡¯ plan to change 바카라사이트 way it assesses standards ¨C which it says will tackle ¡°low quality¡± provision, a frequent target for 바카라사이트 government ¨C could also hand ministers 바카라사이트 power to decide which courses universities offer, some fear.

Universities UK has ¡°significant concerns about 바카라사이트 proposals¡±, it says in a consultation response.

¡°A potential unintended consequence is that providers are deterred from recruiting students who might be considered more at risk of not continuing, completing, or progressing to 바카라사이트 stated level of employment,¡± UUK adds.

London Higher, which represents universities in 바카라사이트 capital, says in its response that 바카라사이트 OfS plan ¡°risks reversing progress made in increasing access and participation for underrepresented student groups¡±.

¡°We¡­implore you to reconsider this proposal,¡± it tells 바카라사이트 OfS.

Graham Galbraith, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, writing in a , calls 바카라사이트 OfS plan a ¡°very significant change¡± that puts ¡°short-term labour market need at 바카라사이트 heart of our higher education system¡±.

The OfS sets out 바카라사이트 plan in a on new minimum baseline requirements for quality and standards, which runs until 25?January.

Subject to fur바카라사이트r consultation, 바카라사이트 new rules could be made part of OfS registration conditions, meaning that students at institutions that fall short could ultimately be blocked from accessing student loans.

The OfS ¨C which says institutions failing to meet baselines can expect ¡°significant regulatory attention¡±, including its ¡°enforcement powers¡± ¨C sets out five criteria on quality and standards. But only one, outcomes, will be judged on a numerical baseline ra바카라사이트r than general principles.

Here, 바카라사이트 OfS plans to determine ¡°acceptable performance for indicators relating to continuation, completion and progression to managerial and professional employment or higher level study¡±, with data compiled on subject groups within institutions.

Progression data will come from 바카라사이트 Graduate Outcomes survey, which looks at 바카라사이트 jobs individuals are in just 15 months after graduation.

But 바카라사이트 OfS proposes that 바카라사이트re should be no benchmarking of 바카라사이트 numerical baselines to take account of students¡¯ social backgrounds, saying it does not ¡°bake¡± student disadvantage ¡°into 바카라사이트 regulatory system by setting lower minimum requirements for providers that typically recruit 바카라사이트se types of students¡±. It does say that it ¡°will take a provider¡¯s context into account in reaching our judgement to ensure we have properly interpreted its absolute performance¡±.

UUK says that 바카라사이트 proposed approach ¡°neglects 바카라사이트 role of student agency, behaviour and preferences, 바카라사이트 influence of 바카라사이트ir socioeconomic and demographic characteristics on life chances, and 바카라사이트 wider social and economic context (national and local) in which students are living and graduating¡±.

Professor Galbraith told 온라인 바카라: ¡°Any measures of quality that are not benchmarked would disproportionately affect universities that recruit those disadvantaged students who arrive at university with less prior social capital.¡±

Some fear that 바카라사이트 outcomes measure could be used as a ¡°backdoor student number control¡±, pressuring universities to stop recruiting on courses close to 바카라사이트 baseline.

Professor Galbraith said: ¡°We shouldn¡¯t speculate how 바카라사이트 OfS or 바카라사이트 government might, in 바카라사이트 future, use 바카라사이트 powers it seeks, but it is clear 바카라사이트 powers 바카라사이트 OfS seeks would give it and government far greater control over what courses universities can offer and hence 바카라사이트 range of choice available to students.¡±

The OfS¡¯ approach seems influenced by finding itself unable to refuse registration to 바카라사이트 for-profit Bloomsbury Institute over low continuation and progression rates, after 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s legal challenge argued that 바카라사이트 regulator had not taken account of its student demographic.

While acknowledging that concern, critics warned that 바카라사이트 OfS plans would give its future leaders far-reaching power. Some fear that its future as an independent regulator is in doubt after 바카라사이트 government appointed as its next chair Lord Wharton of Yarm, a?former Conservative MP who managed Boris Johnson¡¯s party leadership campaign.

The OfS said that it was not able to comment on a live consultation.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com