In 2002, the Welsh Assembly Government set out its strategy for the
higher education sector in Wales, ‘Reaching Higher: Higher Education
and the Learning Country.’ (WAG, 2002b). The strategy highlighted the
disproportionately large number of small institutions in Wales, and
called for substantial reconfiguration of the sector in terms of
collaboration and mergers, in return for additional investment.
The
process for applying to university has recently been the focus for
debate. One aspect of the current applications process which has raised
concern is the use of predicted examination results as part of the
assessment of applicants – final exam results being unavailable at the
time of application. Predicted grades are, however, often inaccurate.
In 2003, the, then, Secretary of State
for Education and Skills asked Professor Steven Schwartz to lead an
independent review on admissions to higher education. The final report
of the review, ‘Fair Admissions to Higher Education: Recommendations
for Good Practice’ (DfES, 2004e) examined the current admissions
systems in universities and produced a set of common principles for the
basis of fair admissions for universities to adopt. In May 2006, the
then DfES launched a consultation on improving the higher education
applications process and, in autumn 2006, a UK-wide 'Delivery
Partnership' was set up to implement reforms to the higher education
applications process following the Government's response the Schwartz
review. Higher education institutions are autonomous in admissions
matters, and the Partnership is therefore a higher education sector-led
partnership of different education stakeholders. There will be a
two-stage process of reform:
Changes to the current HE applications process by 2008-09
A
review in 2010/11 with a view to considering further the implementation
of a Post Qualification Application (PQA) system from 2012.
In
England, proposals for a national credit framework for recording
student achievement in higher education were published in 2006
(Universities UK, 2006).
In
July 2007, the Government announced changes to the student support
system in England that will substantially increase the number of
students entitled to maintenance grants from 2008/09. Under the new
arrangements, it is estimated that two thirds of students will receive
some grant each year, compared to just over a half under the current
system. In addition, the Government has set out plans to change the
delivery arrangements for student financial support. Currently, in
England, responsibility for assessing financial support entitlement is
a matter for the student's local authority,
but payments are made by the Student Loans Company (SLC). This system
will be replaced from 2009/10 by a primarily online service with the
SLC as the single, national delivery organisation.
Public funding for research in higher education in the
UK is administered under a dual support system, in which the higher
education funding bodies provide block grant funding to support the
research infrastructure, and grants for specific projects and
programmes are provided by the Research Councils,
charities, the European Union and government departments. At present,
funding for the research infrastructure is informed by the research
assessment exercise (RAE).
The RAE has generated some controversy in the light of its high cost
and the fact that it may tend to inhibit certain initiatives on the
part of the academic community. After the next RAE in 2008, it will be
succeeded by a new, more metrics-based framework. The Higher Education
Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is currently consulting on its
proposals for a Research Excellence Framework (REF) to replace the RAE.
The
UK is currently working towards implementation of the Bologna Process
reforms. Unlike many of the signatory countries, the UK already had a
two-cycle system in place. The UK Higher Education Europe Unit, a
sector-wide body, is responsible for raising awareness of European
issues affecting UK higher education and for coordinating UK
involvement in European initiatives and debates including the Bologna
Process.
In April 2007, in the immediate run up to the London Ministerial Summit
on 17-18 May 2007, the House of Commons Education and Skills Select
Committee published a report on its inquiry into the Bologna Process
(GB. Parliament. House of Commons. Education and Skills Committee,
2007).
The Education and Skills Select Committee was disbanded following the 2007 reorganisation of the government departments with responsibility for education.
A new Innovation, Universities and Skills Select Committee was
established in session 2007/08 to examine the administration,
expenditure and policy of the Department for Innovation, Universities
and Skills (DIUS), including higher education. In January 2008 the
Government agreed to change the name of the select committee to the
Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee to
reflect the importance of cross-departmental scrutiny of science by the
House of Commons.
In October 2007, the Steering Group on Measuring and
Recording Student Achievement, chaired by Professor Robert Burgess,
reported on degree classification in England, Wales and Northern
Ireland. The report (Universities UK, 2007) concluded that the honours
degree classification system (which grades bachelors degrees awarded
with honours) is no longer fit for purpose. It recommended the
development of a Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR), which will
incorporate and build upon the Diploma Supplement.
Higher Education Funding Council for England
(HEFCE) Northavon House Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16
1QD England Tel.:+44 (0)117 931 7317 Fax:+44 (0)117 931 7203 E-mail: hefce@hefce.ac.uk Website:http://www.hefce.ac.uk
Student Loans Company Ltd. 100 Bothwell Street Glasgow G2 7JD Scotland Tel.:+44 (0)141 306 2000 Fax:+44 (0)141 226 2005 Website:http://www.slc.co.uk
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