Calls for overhaul of university system

Universities Secretary John Denham has announced that he will draw up plans for an overhaul of the Higher Education system, following last year’s Research Assessment Exercise.

The RAE measures universities on the quantity and quality of their research papers. The most recent exercise, in 2008, revealed that nearly all UK universities had at least ‘pockets of excellence’ in research. The RAE was used to determine how much money each university will receive in the next academic year.

Denham said in a speech on 24 February that though the “pockets of excellence” identified in the RAE would receive a proportion of the funding allocation, the Government would continue to concentrate research funds in elite institutions.

He claims that by promoting high-quality research in a few select universities, the UK can ensure its Higher Education system remains world-class, though he did not explain how the policy accomplishes this.

The Universities Secretary did say he would encourage cooperation between larger research-led universities and smaller institutions.

Though he will not be releasing his full fifteen-year plan for Higher Education until summer, Denham’s speech laid out some basic ideas that are likely to be included.

One idea Denham hinted at is that of increased input from employers on what shape degree programmes should take.

“We have seen for some time that individual learner demand or employer demand alone is not sufficient to shape the education and training system, to deliver the necessary numbers of people with the right qualifications.

“This will mean intensifying employer engagement with the design, development and delivery of courses, and expanding work-related or work-based study,” he said.

Denham dismissed fears that a focus on vocational skills would result in the loss of liberal education, saying that a liberal education is also essential to gaining necessary life- and employment-related skills.

The plans are also likely to include more flexibility for degree programmes. “Some learners want these kinds of flexibility, some want more concentrated, traditional full-time study in a single institution. The system needs to value and support this kind of diversity,” Denham said.

He also mentioned a switch to a US-style transfer system, where courses completed at one institution could make up part of the requirements for a degree at another.

The plan that will be released this summer does not include a decision on the future of top-up fees—that will be decided by an independent commission later this year.

Though he did not comment definitively, Denham said of the fee debate, “I would say that anyone who thinks that the question is simply one of whether fees go up and, if so, by how much, may not have grasped the complexities of these issues.”

Denham also discussed the possibility of reviewing the way postgraduate degrees are funded, addressing concerns that only those who can afford a postgraduate education will be able to find “the best” employment.