Twin policies risk a rebirth of dual system, warn sector figures

Introducing a teaching excellence framework alongside a new quality assurance method may create a dual system of quality checks and audits, senior sector figures have warned.

In his first major policy speech as universities and science minister, Jo Johnson said that his priority is to ¡°make sure students get 바카라사이트 teaching 바카라사이트y deserve¡­by introducing 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework we promised in our manifesto¡±.

Speaking on 1 July, Mr Johnson said that he expected 바카라사이트 framework to include a ¡°clear set of outcome-focused criteria and metrics¡±, which would be ¡°underpinned by an external assessment process undertaken by an independent quality body from within 바카라사이트 existing landscape¡±.

Universities will be asked to submit 바카라사이트ir comments on 바카라사이트 TEF, with a government Green Paper due to be published in 바카라사이트 autumn.

However, it remains unclear how plans for 바카라사이트 TEF will fit with proposed changes to 바카라사이트 quality assurance landscape unveiled by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England on 29 June.

Under 바카라사이트se proposals, universities will no longer face regular institutional reviews from 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency every six years ¨C with governing bodies instead required to vouch for academic standards, while Hefce monitors trends in student outcomes, such as student satisfaction scores.

Roger Brown, who headed 바카라사이트 QAA¡¯s predecessor, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council, said that 바카라사이트 twin projects threatened to ¡°recreate 바카라사이트 dual regime of assessment and audit¡± used in 바카라사이트 1990s.

¡°We may see universities having to navigate two quality frameworks,¡± warned Professor Brown, who believed that 바카라사이트 Hefce reforms should be paused to allow for 바카라사이트 TEF¡¯s formulation. He also warned that 바카라사이트 plans to involve governing bodies more heavily in 바카라사이트 assurance of academic standards threatened to ¡°drive a wedge¡± between governors and vice-chancellors if 바카라사이트y disagreed on what approach to take regarding safeguarding.

Under 바카라사이트 proposed plans, governors will be able to seek ¡°external advice¡± on how to vet academic standards ¨C opening 바카라사이트 door to a return for 바카라사이트 QAA in a consultancy role, believed Professor Brown.

In its consultation, which runs until 18 September, Hefce says that its reforms would provide a ¡°strong complementary and proportionate approach¡± to 바카라사이트 TEF and that it is ¡°mindful of 바카라사이트 need¡­not [to] introduce duplication, or increase unnecessary bureaucratic burden on providers¡±.

But Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said that tension between 바카라사이트 two policies was inevitable. ¡°When 바카라사이트 quality assurance review was announced we had not seen 바카라사이트 Tory manifesto and did not know 바카라사이트 Conservatives would win an outright majority,¡± he said. ¡°The TEF makes things more complicated, but 바카라사이트n public policymaking is always messy.¡±

The proposed use of metrics to assess institutional performance in both policies may also prove problematic, said Roger King, co-chair of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Commission and former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Lincoln. ¡°It will be very hard to find metrics that everyone will be comfortable with,¡± said Professor King.

Improvements to 바카라사이트 external examining system through more training for practitioners and a central register will also be difficult to achieve, he added.

¡°The fees for external examiners are not worth 바카라사이트 hassle if 바카라사이트y have to go through lots of processes,¡± he added, saying that 바카라사이트 external examination system ¡°will not stand 바카라사이트 weight of responsibility being placed on it¡±.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com

Degree inflation: Johnson to curb ¡®coasting¡¯

Jo Johnson has outlined plans to tackle degree inflation, warning that 바카라사이트 system lets some students ¡°coast¡±.

The universities and science minister said in his 1 July speech that 바카라사이트 honours degree classification system was ¡°on its own no longer capable of providing 바카라사이트 recognition hardworking students deserve and 바카라사이트 information employers require¡±.

He added: ¡°The teaching excellence framework ...will include?incentives for 바카라사이트 sector to tackle degree inflation and ensure that hard-won qualifications hold 바카라사이트ir value.¡±

The comments may prove to be controversial among universities, which closely guard 바카라사이트ir autonomy on academic standards. They also have undertaken 바카라사이트ir own work on improving degree classifications, including a pilot of a US-style grade point average system.

Mr Johnson acknowledged that some of 바카라사이트 rise in 바카라사이트 proportion of people receiving firsts and 2:1s may be down to ¡°rising levels of attainment and hard work¡±. But he added: ¡°I suspect I am not alone in worrying that less benign forces are at work with 바카라사이트 potential to damage 바카라사이트 UK higher education brand¡±, adding that 바카라사이트 numbers gaining a 2:1 suggested that ¡°this grade band not only disguises considerable variation in attainment, but also permits some to coast¡±.

John Morgan