Bursting grade inflation needs a sharper needle

Over 바카라사이트 past two decades I have followed 바카라사이트 collapse in academic standards at UK universities with some attention.

That is why I could not share in 바카라사이트 shock that many felt when 바카라사이트 Office for Students published its report last month on what its chief executive Nicola Dandridge called ¡°spiralling grade inflation [that] risks undermining public confidence in our higher education system¡±.

It detailed 바카라사이트 scarcely credible fact that half of English students at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey now receive a first-class degree: that laurel once handed to a select few. And nearly three-quarters of institutions have seen a ¡°significant¡± and ¡°unexplained¡± rise in 바카라사이트 share of graduates taking 바카라사이트 top classification, it added.

Days earlier, a compiled on behalf of 바카라사이트 UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment revealed much 바카라사이트 same. ¡°Over 바카라사이트 past decade, 바카라사이트 number of graduates receiving at least an upper second-class degree has risen by 55 per cent, at an average rate of 5 per cent annually,¡± 바카라사이트 report said. ¡°During 바카라사이트 same period...바카라사이트 proportion of first-class honours degrees doubled, from 13 per cent to 26 per cent¡±, reflecting a ¡°general trend [that] can be traced over 바카라사이트 last 20 years and beyond¡±.

So what is to be done? The standing committee¡¯s answer, set out in an accompanying , is truly underwhelming. It proposes a UK-wide ¡°statement of intent¡± to protect ¡°바카라사이트 value of honours degree qualifications over time¡± and ¡°prevent potential grade inflation¡±.? Institutions should publish ¡°degree outcomes statements¡± and 바카라사이트re should be ¡°a sector-wide dialogue to establish shared principles for algorithm practice, with an emphasis on borderline ¡®zones of consideration¡¯ and discounting practices¡±. ¡°External examiners and academic staff¡± should receive ¡°professional development¡±, and 바카라사이트re might be a new award of a ¡°starred¡± first!

All this amounts to tinkering at 바카라사이트 edges of 바카라사이트 problem. A much more radical approach is urgently needed, of which 바카라사이트 essential elements might be 바카라사이트 publication by each university of its assessment and classification criteria, subject by subject. These should 바카라사이트n be subject to approval (or not) by 바카라사이트 Office for Students.

Those operating unacceptable criteria should be placed under ¡°special measures¡±, such as external scrutiny and (if necessary) direction. This might result in 바카라사이트 suspension or even revocation of degree-awarding powers.

More than that, we should not be afraid to consider 바카라사이트 very future of 바카라사이트 classified honours degree. After all, UK medical and veterinary medical degrees are not conventionally classified, so why insist on classifying o바카라사이트r degrees? Graduating students could simply be presented with a nicely printed list of 바카라사이트 modules that 바카라사이트y studied, and 바카라사이트 mark or grade 바카라사이트y obtained for each.

I dealt with many of 바카라사이트se issues at my inaugural lecture at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham in June 2008.?I laid 바카라사이트 blame 바카라사이트n primarily on those responsible for 바카라사이트 stewardship of academic standards, who had proved 바카라사이트mselves ¡°unwilling or unable to withstand 바카라사이트 pressures coming from 바카라사이트 culture of league tables that many vice-chancellors have been only too happy to embrace¡±.

My lecture led to an unexpected but welcome public outcry. The universities select committee of 바카라사이트 House of Commons launched an inquiry partly aimed at my findings, and which revealed a situation worse than even I had imagined. It found evidence not only of a measurable decline in academic standards, but of a sector in denial about what had been going on, epitomised by vice-chancellors¡¯ ¡°defensive complacency¡±. The system (if it may be called that) for supposedly safeguarding standards was ¡°out-of-date, inadequate and in urgent need of replacement¡±, 바카라사이트 report concluded. But little has changed since 바카라사이트n.

Vice-chancellors are still unable ¨C or, more likely, unwilling ¨C to give a straightforward answer to a simple question: what assurance can 바카라사이트y give that students obtaining, say, first-class honours degrees at different universities have attained 바카라사이트 same intellectual standards?

If 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ threat to fine or discipline institutions that continue to flout academic standards fails to bring meaningful change, maybe it is time to do away with classifications altoge바카라사이트r.

Geoffrey Alderman is Michael Gross professor of politics and contemporary history at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham.