scholarly journals UK Teaching Quality Under the Microscope: What are the Drivers?

2016 ◽  
pp. 27-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Middlehurst
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Teaching Excellence ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Under the newly elected government in the UK (May 2015), sweeping changes to quality assurance and the regulatory system for higher education are proposed in England.  Proposals include a new emphasis on ‘teaching excellence’ to balance a long-term emphasis on measuring ‘research excellence’ and further marketization.  The UK higher education system has had a strong reputation for quality over decades, so international observers may speculate on the rationale for the government’s proposals.  This article explores some of the underlying political, economic and social drivers behind the government’s proposals.  

scholarly journals Unwaged Posts in UK Universities: Controversies and Campaigns

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 533-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Forkert ◽  
Ana Lopes
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Creative Industries ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University ◽  
Uk Higher Education

This article examines unwaged posts at UK universities, using recent examples of advertised job posts. While unpaid work is common in the UK higher education system, unwaged posts are not. The posts under scrutiny in this article differ from traditional honorary titles as they target early career academics, who are unlikely to have a paid position elsewhere, rather than established scholars. The article contextualizes the appearance of these posts in a climate of increasing marketization of higher education, entrenching managerialism in higher education institutions, and the casualization of academic work. We also discuss resistance to the posts, arguing that the controversy surrounding unpaid internships in the creative industries created a receptive environment for resisting unwaged posts in academia. We analyze the campaigns that were fought against the advertisement of the posts, mostly through social media and the University and College Union. We explore the tactics used and discuss the advantages and limitations of the use of social media, as well as the role of trade unions in the campaigns against these posts, and we reflect on what future campaigns can learn from these experiences.

Are national higher education policies adequate for the next decade?

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Clark
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Growth ◽  
Education System ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Large Measure ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Higher Education Policies ◽  
National Economic ◽  
The Uk

The period since the election in May 2010 has seen a number of very far-reaching reforms enacted in the higher education system in the UK, and especially England. These have been driven in large measure by the economic situation, but also by the aim to introduce a more market-based approach into the sector. At the same time, the higher education system faces a number of long-term challenges, particularly in terms of how it can best contribute to much-needed regional and national economic growth. This article first summarises the reforms which have been put in place and some of the factors driving them; next goes on to set out the long-term challenges which the sector will need to address; and finally assesses whether the policy platform established through the government's reforms is likely to help or hinder the achievement of the sector's (and the country's) strategic aims.

Funding UK Higher Education

1990 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 262-266
Author(s):  
Maggie Inchley
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Uk Higher Education ◽  
Funding Gap ◽  
New System

The UK higher education system is going through a period of self-assessment: looking outwards to expand education provision; looking inwards to devise a new system of funding. This article discusses how and why the system will be expanded and examines how the funding gap will be filled by the public, industry and the students themselves.

scholarly journals Massification, Marketisation and Loss of Differentiation in Pre-Entry Marketing Materials in UK Higher Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 304
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Knight
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Equity Issues ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Student Cohorts ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Since the mid-1970s, the higher education system in the UK has massified. Over this period, the government policy drivers for higher education have shifted towards a homogenised rationale, linking higher education to the economic well-being of the country. The massification of higher education has involved a widening of participation from traditional students to new and diverse student cohorts with differing information needs. The increased positioning of students as consumers by higher education means the student choice process has become complex. Drawing on a recently conferred doctorate, this article asks whether the messages sent by institutions about the motivation for undertaking a degree have changed during the recent period of massification of UK higher education. It asks how such changes are reflected, overtly or in coded form, in the institutional pre-entry ‘prospectus’ documents aimed at students. Taking a discourse-historical approach, the work identifies six periods of discourse change between 1976 and 2013, analysing prospectuses from four case-study institutions of different perceived status. The research finds that the materials homogenise gradually over the period and there is a concordant concealment of the differential status, purpose and offer of the institutions, alongside an increase in the functional importance of the coded signalling power of the differential prestige of undergraduate degrees within the UK. This research’s finding that the documents produced by institutions have become increasingly difficult to differentiate highlights equity issues in provision of marketing in terms of widening participation and fair access aims.

scholarly journals Academic Endowments in the United Kingdom – Do They Make a Difference?

2022 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Aljosa Sestanovic ◽  
Fayyaz Hussain Qureshi ◽  
Sarwar Khawaja
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Education System ◽  
Universities And Colleges ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
University Of Oxford ◽  
Education Data ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The University ◽  
Uk Higher Education

This paper analyses the role and significance of the endowments for the UK higher education system. We have systematised the metrics commonly used to measure the performance of the academic endowments. To collect the data about universities and colleges, we exploited the data provided by the HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency) that collect and disseminate UK higher education data and the data provided by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. The size of the university and colleges endowments is valued using their respective financial statements, using endowment reserve account of the balance sheet.The academic endowments linked with the UK universities and colleges are estimated to be worth £15.8 billion in 2020. According to the number of the endowments linked with universities and colleges endowments, they play a significant role in the UK higher education system. However, there is a notable difference concerning endowment size between the few most reputable academic institutions and other universities and colleges. For example, the two largest endowments (the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge with accompanied colleges endowments) in 2020 had a share of 75% measured by the size of the endowment assets. Moreover, this 75% has been stable during the last several years.In addition, the UK academic endowments are much smaller than their US counterparts and thus generally have lesser significance for the UK higher education system, while they may play a significant role for particular institutions. The endowment size per student has also been much smaller in the UK than in the US. Except for the six universities and colleges, the share of the income coming from endowments and donations in the total income has been relatively low, 2% or less. Considering the long history and tradition of the endowments in England, their role in the UK higher education system is deeply rooted. However, with their historical performance and significance for some higher education providers, there is an opportunity for a more prominent role in the future.

Managing the quality of higher education in apprenticeships

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Felce
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Assurance Agency ◽  
Quality Of Higher Education ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Purpose Traditionally, apprenticeships have been the domain of further education and skills training providers, predominately at pre-higher education levels where management, organisation, inspection and funding have little in common with those familiar to higher education. Higher level and degree apprenticeships have brought together different cultures and methods of designing, delivering and assessing knowledge, skills and behaviours, funding learners and learning providers, data reporting, quality management and its review or inspection. The purpose of this paper is to establish the primary concerns about managing quality in degree apprenticeships, the challenges the variances bring, how the challenges are being resolved and future work that may be required. Design/methodology/approach A review of a range of guidance and organisations involved in managing the quality of higher education in apprenticeships was undertaken. The primary focus is on the advice and guidance provided through the Quality Code and associated documentation, which are key to managing and assuring standards and quality in UK higher education. In addition, requirements and guidance provided through other bodies is considered along with the cross-sector groups charged with developing quality assurance processes for apprenticeships at all levels. Findings The paper shows a range of detailed guidance available to those entering the higher and degree apprenticeships arena and how the organisations involved in quality assurance of apprenticeships are working together to remove or mitigate concerns to ensure that quality is embedded and successfully managed. Originality/value Designing and delivering higher level and degree apprenticeships is a relatively new addition to UK higher education providers. There are long established practices to assure the quality and standards of UK higher education wherever and, however, it is delivered, in the UK, overseas and through online models. Apprenticeships across the UK have changed significantly over recent years, and new models, organisations and methods of working and funding have been introduced. This paper brings together key activity by the Quality Assurance Agency and other stakeholders to show how standards and quality can be managed and assured.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document