Universities will have to show they are providing high quality teaching and giving value for money under plans outlined by the new science and universities minister, Jo Johnson.
A national audit of the teaching offered at universities – based on “outcome-focused criteria and metrics” such as graduate earnings – will provide more information to future students, the minister said on Wednesday.
Addressing a group of vice-chancellors at Universities UK in London, he proposed the teaching excellence framework (Tef) will also be underpinned by an external assessment process undertaken by an independent body.
Johnson said the framework will not be a box-ticking exercise, and that details of which metrics should be used will be open to consultation. “We do want this to be outcome focused, rather than focusing on the number of blackboards and the number of Sharpie pens available to students,” he said.
“I’m not in a position – nor would you want me to be – to say exactly what the metrics will be. I would just give you a sense that we’re going to create a broad basket of indicators, so that we can reflect the diversity of higher education institutions in this country.”
The framework will help “root out bad teaching”, he said. It will also recognise institutions that do the most to welcome students from a range of backgrounds and help them secure graduate jobs.
Johnson did not rule out the possibility that the outcomes of a teaching excellence framework could be linked to the pricing of courses, and said the results could be presented as a sector-wide league table.
Students are “looking critically” at what they get in return for their fees and want more information about how universities spend money, the minister said. He added that he was concerned by the fall in the graduate premium, and by recent surveys suggesting many students do not feel they are getting value for money. Since 2006, the graduate earnings premium has fallen from 55% higher, to around 45% higher than the earnings of non-graduates.
Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said a focus on teaching quality is welcome, but added: “The challenge is how to construct a single Framework that can effectively respond to that tremendous diversity.”
Paul O’Prey, vice-chancellor of the University of Roehampton, said that a system focused on graduate earnings could penalise some institutions.
“When I look at my own university – 75% of my students are women... over half of our graduates go into teaching or another public sevice. They make great contributions to society – but they’re not in the city. Over half of my first years are from BME (black and minority ethnic) backgrounds, first in the family [to go to university] or from lower socio-economic groups. They don’t have the social capital that helps them launch a graduate career in a fast way,” said O’Prey.
University and College Union general secretary, Sally Hunt, said that UK lecturers already have a “world-beating reputation”, despite pressures on resources. “Any government that wants to support further improvements should act to eliminate the endemic casualisation of teaching staff and work to enhance the professional status of the sector.”
Join the higher education network for more comment, analysis and job opportunities, direct to your inbox. Follow us on Twitter @gdnhighered.
