They include:-
- Increasing the range of degree-awarding bodies plus de-coupling “degree-awarding powers from teaching in order to facilitate externally assessed degrees by trusted awarding bodies”. This may well mean that private sector companies, if suitably qualified, will be able to award degrees.
- Freeing up controls on student members by making around 85,000 student places “contestable” between higher education institutions in 2012/13. This will be done by permitting unconstrained recruitment of the roughly 65,000 high achieving students and by creating a “flexible margin” of about 20,000 student places for quality providers who charge an average of £7,500 per year or less by way of tuition fees. (There has been a lot of controversy in England about sizeable increases in student tuition fees and this is an attempt on the part of Government to ease the difficulties that have been caused.)
- Helping poor students and social mobility by ensuring that the Office for Fair Access is properly resourced.
- Improving the “student experience” by increasing the accountability of universities to students on teaching quality matters and also by encouraging universities to engage actively with employers to accredit or “kite mark” courses so that students can then understand from employers what courses are particularly valued by employers.
A number of other proposals are included as well with a view to students feeling more engaged by what Higher Education institutions have to offer.
The HE White Paper does not apply to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, who deal with Higher Education through their devolved government administrations.
There is a strong feeling that there are further reforms and adjustments yet to unfold in the Higher Education Sector.
© AUGUST 2011 DAVID GLASS
PRITCHARD ENGLEFIELD
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED