UKBA Strategy to 'Close' the UK Private Sector?

QAA is the 'natural home' for student visa oversight, says Minister

Date: 11/07/2011

"Minister for Immigration Damian Green MP has described QAA as 'the natural home and an authoritative voice' in reviewing private colleges' higher education provision.

Opening QAA's sell-out conference on Tier 4 educational oversight, the Minister warned that 'too many of the institutions that have managed to obtain a sponsor licence under Tier 4 are essentially providing an immigration service, not an educational one.

Mr Green told delegates he 'strongly believes that the changes we are making will enhance the reputation of the UK’s education sector as a whole, by raising the quality of international students and by eliminating poor quality colleges.

'QAA’s involvement in the new educational oversight requirements will seek to ensure that the same high standards are achieved in all institutions offering higher education, regardless of whether or not they are in receipt of public funding', he said.

Speaking about the new requirement for student sponsors to have Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS) status, the Minister talked about the benefits of the new educational oversight arrangements.

'The value of a QAA review, as the experts in UK higher education provision, can only assist in setting apart private providers employing the highest standards from competitors within both the private and publicly-funded sectors', he said.

Almost 300 delegates, most of them representing small, independent colleges, came to the conference to find out more about QAA review and the impact the changes will have on their ways of working.

From Monday 18 July, private providers of higher education will be able to apply for QAA educational oversight. Full information about review options, costs and timescales will be available on our website alongside the application form.

Colleges must make their applications by 9 September 2011 if they want to go on to apply for HTS and recruit international students from 2012".

Note:
1. QAA inspection visit will cost about £20,000!! How is this justified?
2. Overseas students are now heading to Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand, etc.
3. Huge loss of income to the UK - death of an industry!
4. Restrictions on part-time work for overseas students.

 

That's not only the Minister's impression. Plenty of observers would agree with him, including this one! The herd needs thinning and the new measures will do it.

It costs what it costs! Jack up the yearly fees by 500 pounds and the first 40 students would cover it! If you're anticipating 400 students, then raise the fees by only 50 pounds. Those increases would be minimal compared to what's happening at mainstream British universities and Colleges!

My main worry is this: is the QAA well-equipped to ensure academic quality? That is the major reason for thinning this herd and it needs to be done properly.

Death of an industry? PAH! Here in Canada, many foreign students obtain visas to attend our State schools - proper immigration procedures for all - no work permits - and they are charged about 2 1/2 - 3 times the domestic rate for tuition. Seems to work for them. I'm in a college lab right now and I hear lots of Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Hindi, Urdu etc.

It'll be the uncompetitive schools that complain the loudest - those that have done the poorest job.

Johann