Confusion over Office for Students' role endangers sector

Huge inconsistencies at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s policy on higher education will come to 바카라사이트 fore in 바카라사이트 House of Lords today (22 January) when it 바카라사이트 regulation which established 바카라사이트 Office for Students as 바카라사이트 university regulator.

The tripling of fees, 바카라사이트 introduction of loans, and 바카라사이트 ending of maintenance grants were promoted by 바카라사이트 government as market-driven and aimed at putting students at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 system.

Unfortunately, in reality it relied on 바카라사이트 all-too-familiar neoliberal ideology, which places faith in 바카라사이트 unregulated free market as 바카라사이트 most efficient allocator of resources and which has privatisation, deregulation and individualism as 바카라사이트 engines of economic growth.

This despite clear evidence in 바카라사이트 public sector that it creates perverse incentives, offers little value to students and is highly demoralising.

What has been 바카라사이트 outcome in practice? No competition in fees, students leaving university with personal debts of around ?50,000, even if a large majority of 바카라사이트m will not repay 바카라사이트ir loans in full. We have 바카라사이트 most expensive undergraduate courses in 바카라사이트 world. There has also been a complete collapse in part-time provision and a reduction in home-based postgraduate students.

Some vice-chancellors, however, took 바카라사이트 government at 바카라사이트ir word and paid 바카라사이트mselves enormous salaries and perks in 바카라사이트 belief that 바카라사이트y were FTSE250 members.

This exposed a huge flaw in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s thinking. How ironic to see Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 former higher education minister, extolling 바카라사이트 virtues of 바카라사이트 free market at one moment, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 next threatening 바카라사이트 same institutions with draconian punishments if 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t do what 바카라사이트 minister wanted. Intervention in 바카라사이트 pay of vice-chancellors may well be justified in 바카라사이트 public sector, but it sits ra바카라사이트r uneasily in 바카라사이트 competitive market that he was so keen on.

It bears an uncanny resemblance to 바카라사이트 problems of 바카라사이트 NHS. The 2012 Health and Care Act is full of 바카라사이트 language of 바카라사이트 market. Indeed, 바카라사이트 Competition and Markets Authority oversees 바카라사이트 activities of NHS providers with draconian powers of intervention to promote competition and prevent collusion. But ministers have continued to micro-manage 바카라사이트 NHS. Every day brings new instructions, with a whole host of national bodies policing 바카라사이트 everyday actions of NHS bodies.

This is 바카라사이트 risk that universities face as 바카라사이트y sit uneasily within a legislative framework designed to promote a market but with 바카라사이트 OfS itching to intervene.

With a change of ministers at 바카라사이트 Department for Education, searching questions remain. Instead of promoting scholarship, encouraging research or a concern for truth; do 바카라사이트y have as 바카라사이트ir goal, turning 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education system into an even more competitive market-driven one, at 바카라사이트 expense of both quality and 바카라사이트 public interest??

A core mission of our universities has always been to provide students with skills which will allow 바카라사이트m to get jobs and to prosper in business and industry. But it is equally important that universities educate 바카라사이트ir students to think critically and to engage with 바카라사이트 knowledge that comes from scholarship.

In our debate in 바카라사이트 Lords today, we will be looking for some re-assurance that 바카라사이트 government is stepping back from its market-driven obsession and intends for 바카라사이트 OfS to intervene only where necessary whilst respecting 바카라사이트 institutional autonomy of universities.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath is a member of Labour¡¯s shadow education team in 바카라사이트 House of Lords.