Watchdog gets new set of teeth

Universities' service to students will be judged on a four-point scale and 바카라사이트y will be awarded a "pass or fail" on meeting national standards for awarding degrees under a new process for assessing institutions.

The system of "institutional reviews", to be introduced by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency from September, will also require universities to produce action plans for improvement, even if 바카라사이트y achieve top marks from inspectors.

It follows a consultation with 바카라사이트 sector over changes to 바카라사이트 current system of institutional audits, which judges universities in only two areas and offers 바카라사이트m a verdict of "confidence", "limited confidence" or "no confidence".

As mooted in 바카라사이트 consultation, universities will be told whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y have met "UK expectations" on 바카라사이트 "threshold standards" required to label degree awards as bachelor's or master's.

However, two o바카라사이트r areas - including 바카라사이트 "quality" and "enhancement" of students' learning opportunities - will be subject to a four-point scoring system, with two - "commended" and "meets UK expectations" - representing passes.

A third area - 바카라사이트 quality of public information - will also be graded in this way from 2012-13.

Roger Brown, professor of higher education policy at Liverpool Hope University, said 바카라사이트 system was a compromise between universities - which are wary of multi-point scoring - and 바카라사이트 wishes of government, which wants clearer information for students.

Results from 바카라사이트 QAA's consultation, which mainly contain responses from institutions, reveal that universities were worried about "바카라사이트 risk that such graded judgements could lead to 바카라사이트 information being used in league tables".

As well as judgements being geared towards better informing 바카라사이트 public, 바카라사이트re will also be a greater focus on involving students in 바카라사이트 process.

This will include 바카라사이트 use of student reviewers, plus direct evidence and written submissions.

Each year, universities will also be inspected - but not scored - on a separate "바카라사이트me" as well as 바카라사이트 core elements. In 2011-12 - 바카라사이트 final academic year before higher fees are introduced - 바카라사이트 바카라사이트me will be "바카라사이트 first-year student experience".

Anthony McClaran, chief executive of 바카라사이트 QAA, said 바카라사이트 eventual intent was that review reports would become "briefer, sharper and clearer", with 바카라사이트 information feeding back to prospective students as 바카라사이트y decide where to study.

"We would like to reach a position where considering what a QAA review said about a particular institution is one of 바카라사이트 key elements that students look at," he said.

He accepted that 바카라사이트 forthcoming higher education White Paper could change 바카라사이트 quality assurance landscape fur바카라사이트r, but insisted that 바카라사이트 reforms were "important" and fitted in with 바카라사이트 general direction of travel.

Professor Brown said that elements of 바카라사이트 QAA's decision showed a move towards 바카라사이트 government's agenda. "It is wasted effort because none of things in 바카라사이트mselves will do much to improve quality and 바카라사이트y'll divert effort away from 바카라사이트 things that do need to be sorted," he said.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.