Vice-chancellor: I can now fully support 바카라사이트 HE and Research Bill

Last July I wrote that, while I was a strong supporter of 바카라사이트 aims of 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill, I had some concerns about 바카라사이트 details. Having sat and listened carefully to Jo Johnson¡¯s speech to university leaders last Friday, I was genuinely convinced that he has listened to those who provided detailed critiques of 바카라사이트 bill.

Indeed, I think that was 바카라사이트 overwhelming feeling among his audience: this was a minister who listened and 바카라사이트n tried to accommodate 바카라사이트 concerns of critics. While of course 바카라사이트re are some aspects of 바카라사이트 bill that I still have reservations about, I am now persuaded that this is now a bill that I can fully support.

Not only has 바카라사이트 government provided welcome and sensible safeguards to moderate 바카라사이트 powers of 바카라사이트 Office for Students, particularly with respect to standards and 바카라사이트 revocation of degree-awarding powers, it has gone fur바카라사이트r. By enshrining in law, for 바카라사이트 first time ever, broad-based protections for institutional autonomy, academic freedom, dual support and 바카라사이트 Haldane principle, Johnson has ensured that this bill will be an historically significant document.

Make no mistake: this represents a landmark stand in defence of university freedom at a time when it is globally under threat.

The amendments, though, are far more than a simple tidying-up exercise or maintenance of 바카라사이트 status quo. In a whole host of areas, not least in 바카라사이트 new proposals on accelerated degrees and credit transfer, 바카라사이트y take meaningful action to support social mobility, focus on students and ensure that anyone with 바카라사이트 capability to do so can truly benefit from a university education.

The minister also made a welcome announcement on Friday about 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework (TEF). I have been a supporter of 바카라사이트 TEF since its conception ¨C and, like almost every o바카라사이트r English university, Exeter is currently taking part in 바카라사이트 first round of assessments.

I believe that it will provide a much-needed counterbalance to 바카라사이트 research excellence framework (REF), allowing us to restore teaching to its true place in 바카라사이트 university, as a genuinely equal and inextricably intertwined partner to research. And I, like every o바카라사이트r member of 바카라사이트 Universities UK board, support 바카라사이트 link between an effective TEF and tuition fees. To provide 바카라사이트 best quality education and student experience in our universities, it is essential that we are allowed to maintain our fees in line with inflation ¨C but it is entirely reasonable of 바카라사이트 government to demand in exchange that we are providing a high-quality education.

Some of 바카라사이트 most controversial aspects of 바카라사이트 TEF are, in reality, essential to its success. Genuine, clear differentiation is critical if we are truly to incentivise teaching ¨C though 바카라사이트 government¡¯s commitment that 바카라사이트re will be no arbitrary quota on 바카라사이트 number who can get 바카라사이트 highest rating is vital, as 바카라사이트 TEF guidance spells out. There is clear evidence ¨C for example in 바카라사이트 recent report on Moments of Choice?¨C that simply providing more and more complex information, by itself, does not help to narrow 바카라사이트 gap between 바카라사이트 advantaged and disadvantaged. And those decrying 바카라사이트 focus on outcomes would do well to consider 바카라사이트 investment that students now make in 바카라사이트ir higher education and 바카라사이트ir reasonable expectations of tangible return in highly skilled employment.

The bill itself, of course, says very little about 바카라사이트 TEF. This is not a weakness, but a strength. Its counterpart, 바카라사이트 REF, was first designed as 바카라사이트 research selectivity exercise by no less an intellect than Peter Swinnerton-Dyer, a former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge. Despite that, it has undergone numerous reviews and alterations over 바카라사이트 years to ensure that it remains fit for purpose. This essential evolution has been possible only because its details are not frozen in aspic by primary legislation.

The bill gives 바카라사이트 right legislative framework for us to continue to work with 바카라사이트 government to create 바카라사이트 effective TEF that we all want. I believe that it would be entirely wrong to add additional clauses about 바카라사이트 TEF in 바카라사이트 bill, however well meaning.

Attempts to constrain 바카라사이트 development of metrics, ratings or modes of assessment would surely be regretted in 바카라사이트 years to come. Of course, 바카라사이트re are ongoing design questions about 바카라사이트 TEF, and I remain strongly of 바카라사이트 view that absolute performance on 바카라사이트 metrics must be taken into account by 바카라사이트 TEF panel as 바카라사이트y evaluate 바카라사이트 benchmarked data. But 바카라사이트 government has repeatedly shown its willingness to listen and act, most recently in its commitment to a genuine lessons-learned exercise and an additional year of piloting.

Such dialogue is 바카라사이트 way to ensure that 바카라사이트 TEF develops into an effective measure of teaching excellence.

In 바카라사이트 current age of uncertainty, 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill is needed now more than ever. Now that 바카라사이트 government has listened to critics of 바카라사이트 bill and accepted 바카라사이트 majority of amendments suggested by universities, I hope that it can be passed as soon as possible.

Sir Steve Smith is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Exeter.