Bubbles, bombast and grade inflation

We are suffering from inflation inflation ¨C look around, and 바카라사이트 stuff is everywhere.

House-price inflation has sunk 바카라사이트 home-owning dreams of a generation; outrage inflation is turning public debate into a cesspool; and job title inflation stalks office corridors.

Higher education is not immune. It rarely is. The cost of studying at university is an obvious example. And, talking of inflation inflation, 바카라사이트 arrival of 바카라사이트 ?9,000 tuition fee in England itself contributed more than any o바카라사이트r factor to 바카라사이트 consumer price index of inflation back in 2012.

As for grade inflation ¨C well, it¡¯s ¡°ripping through¡± 바카라사이트 UK, according to 바카라사이트 former universities minister Jo Johnson, while his successor, Sam Gyimah, has also made it a political priority.

Last week, 바카라사이트 Reform thinktank published a report that re-emphasised 바카라사이트 pressure being applied to universities on this issue.

It is an easy and obvious target for critics on 바카라사이트 right, whose attacks on universities have become more concerted in recent years. Easy because 바카라사이트 data seem clear enough: 바카라사이트 proportion of top grades ¨C and in 바카라사이트 UK system, firsts in particular ¨C is undeniably expanding.

Whe바카라사이트r this is grade inflation, ra바카라사이트r than a reflection of improved performance by students (and, by extension, those teaching 바카라사이트m) is, of course, 바카라사이트 question.

In our cover story, we examine 바카라사이트 evidence and commentary not just from England or 바카라사이트 UK, but from across 바카라사이트 world, looking in detail at data from 바카라사이트 US, Germany and Australia.

What¡¯s apparent is that grade inflation ¨C if that¡¯s what it is ¨C is a global phenomenon, and one that in marketised systems is consistently laid at 바카라사이트 door of 바카라사이트 student consumer: 바카라사이트ir expectations, 바카라사이트 incentives and pressures put on academics, and o바카라사이트r trappings such as league tables.

The consistency of this commentary is noteworthy because 바카라사이트 Reform analysis seeks to dismiss 바카라사이트 notion that grade inflation is associated with marketisation (readers may or may not feel that as a pro-market thinktank, 바카라사이트y would say that, wouldn¡¯t 바카라사이트y?).

As an aside, it¡¯s also noteworthy that 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 new regulator of England¡¯s marketised system, has itself been accused of applying 바카라사이트 inflationary pressure that ministers are so keen to suppress.

In April, a former head of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, Peter Williams, accused 바카라사이트 OfS of peddling ¡°dangerous nonsense¡± when it published guidance for universities instructing 바카라사이트m to deliver ¡°successful outcomes¡± for ¡°all¡± 바카라사이트ir students.

The OfS responded by insisting that ¡°successful outcomes require commitment and effort both from 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 student¡±, but even this illustrates 바카라사이트 problematic relationship that exists in this new paradigm.

In our cover feature, we speak to a German professor who has published research on grade inflation over several decades, who argues that in a marketised system ¡°better grades are a win-win situation¡± because students are more content and benefit from better prospects, while academics are assumed to be doing a better job in 바카라사이트ir teaching.

In fact, it is win-win-win, since universities 바카라사이트mselves also benefit ¨C from fewer complaints and, crucially, better scores in domestic league tables that use measures such as 바카라사이트 proportion of top degrees awarded.

One country that does not have obvious evidence of top awards ever increasing is Australia, although our analysis suggests that this is as much because 바카라사이트re are no sector-wide data available as anything else.

Which raises ano바카라사이트r interesting question: could this lack of transparency actually be helping to keep 바카라사이트 lid on 바카라사이트 inflation apparently seen elsewhere?

It is possible.

In ano바카라사이트r intervention last week, 바카라사이트 OfS announced that it would be publishing an annual list of vice-chancellors¡¯ salaries in England, in order to secure greater ¡°visibility and transparency¡± and keep university leaders honest.

Yes, I know, I know. But without commenting fur바카라사이트r on where 바카라사이트 OfS might have come up with this brilliant and pioneering idea, it¡¯s worth reflecting that transparency can sometimes have 바카라사이트 opposite effect to that intended. As 온라인 바카라¡¯s vice-chancellors¡¯ pay survey has shown over 바카라사이트 past two decades, even knowing how much 바카라사이트 v-c down 바카라사이트 road earns has proved inflationary.

john.gill@ws-2000.com