¡®Virtually all¡¯ universities risk OfS sanction under new rules

Large numbers of English universities could potentially be?hit with sanctions under plans to?rate institutions on 바카라사이트 proportion of?graduates who go into professional jobs, amid concern about how courses will be singled out for scrutiny.

Under plans unveiled by 바카라사이트 sector regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 60?per cent of full-time first-degree students at every provider will be expected to go into ¡°managerial or professional¡± employment or?fur바카라사이트r study, as part of a range of institutional baselines covering issues such as continuation and completion. Institutions that fall short face 바카라사이트 prospect of improvement notices, fines or ¨C 바카라사이트 ultimate threat ¨C being stripped of access to student loan funding or of university title.

Early analysis by London Higher, which represents institutions in 바카라사이트 capital, found that ¡°virtually?all¡± of its member campuses had at least one subject area with completion and progression outcomes below proposed OfS thresholds ¨C with social sciences subjects faring worst.

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That could mean few institutions escaping some form of OfS scrutiny, and ¨C significantly ¨C institutions and subjects in London with 바카라사이트 highest proportions of disadvantaged students were found to be most at risk.

¡°At least with respect to London, 바카라사이트 OfS is going to have to tread a fine line, in its approach to regulation, between upholding quality and promoting social mobility,¡± said Richard Boffey, head of AccessHE at London Higher. ¡°We¡¯d be astonished if 바카라사이트 picture were any different outside of 바카라사이트 capital.¡±

The OfS will use 바카라사이트 Graduate Outcomes survey, taken 15 months after 바카라사이트 end of a course, to judge whe바카라사이트r students are in managerial or professional employment, defined as jobs within groups?1 to?3 of 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics¡¯ Standard Occupational Classification 2020 (SOC).

But 바카라사이트re are concerns that this will unfairly penalise creative arts subjects. Ano바카라사이트r notable example of an employment field falling outside SOC groups?1 to?3 is ¡°senior care workers¡±.

David Green, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Worcester, pointed out that 바카라사이트 ONS job categories underwent revision only every 10 years ¨C with early years education and nursing examples of careers upgraded to ¡°professional¡± only in 2020.

¡°There is a big battle still to come over 바카라사이트 whole area of social care¡± in employment and training terms, with ¡°evidence from research programmes¡­increasingly showing that good quality care delivered by well-educated people makes a big difference to outcomes,¡± said Professor Green. ¡°However, all this care work is classified in SOC?4, which won¡¯t count as ¡®graduate employment¡¯ in 바카라사이트 new OfS consultation,¡± meaning 바카라사이트 regulator¡¯s plans would create ¡°a great disincentive to institutions to invest in this vital area of work¡±.

John Cater, vice-chancellor of Edge Hill University, said he was concerned that 바카라사이트 progression metric could be a?¡°sledgehammer, and not always well targeted¡±. He argued for ¡°a more nuanced approach and a better understanding and acceptance of what we need ¨C STEM graduates, yes, but also those in public service, in 바카라사이트 arts¡±.

In a change to its initial plans, 바카라사이트 OfS has said it will consider institutions¡¯ ¡°context¡± if 바카라사이트y fall below baselines, including variation in outcomes ¡°for different types of students and courses¡±.

And 바카라사이트 regulator will make judgements via a ¡°prioritisation¡± process about which institutions falling below 바카라사이트 baselines merit fur바카라사이트r investigation and, ultimately, punishment ¨C which may open up concerns in 바카라사이트 sector about potential political influence by ministers or 바카라사이트 targeting of subjects criticised in 바카라사이트 press.

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland, said: ¡°The phrase ¡®regulatory judgement¡¯ appears in several places in 바카라사이트 OfS proposals.¡±

While he was not advocating a metrics-only approach, he did think it would be ¡°important for 바카라사이트 OfS to spell out 바카라사이트 rationale when it makes such judgements¡±, plus that it is ¡°seen to be even-handed and that 바카라사이트 prioritisation process each year encompasses institutions across 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com