Committee to hear evidence on quality in higher education and the Office for Students
The Industry and Regulators Committee will continue its inquiry into the work of the Office for Students (OfS), the regulator of higher education providers in England, by hearing from the Chair of GuildHE, a mission group representing 60 higher education and further education providers. The Committee will discuss how the Office for Students has carried out its role, its relationship with and independence from the Government, and its relationship with higher education providers and students. The Committee will also consider the financial sustainability of the higher education sector. This will include discussing the business models of higher education providers, the financial risks that they face and how these risks are managed by the OfS and the Government.
The Committee will then hear from the Chair and Chief Executive of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). The Committee will discuss the reasons for the QAA’s decision not to continue as the OfS’ Designated Quality Body (DQB) and the consequences of this for quality and standards assessments in the higher education sector in England. The Committee will discuss the capacity of the OfS to take on the DQB role in the interim, what changes would be necessary to enable the QAA to return to the role, and why it is important to have an independent quality and standards body.
Meeting details
Possible questions include:
- To what extent is the OfS’ work determined by the Government? Is the guidance the Government issues the regulator too prescriptive?
- How does the OfS evaluate whether higher education provides value for money? Is it possible to do so objectively or do these judgements reflect political and economic priorities?
- How does the OfS oversee the financial sustainability of individual higher education providers and the higher education sector more broadly?
- Does the OfS have the right expertise to step into the role of Designated Quality Body following the decision by the QAA not to continue in that capacity?