Important in the minds of Ministers of the Government of the United Kingdom, weigh issues of social justice and social mobility with the universities of UK widely seen among the political classes as instruments of social change. The Secretary of business today, Vince Cable, jointly with the Minister of universities, David Willetts, in February 2011 criticized several more selective universities in the United Kingdom for failure perceived in their efforts to encourage underrepresented groups to seek places in these institutions and stressed the need for "more determined action."[1]
The UK Office of fair access (OFFA) is apparently to be empowered to monitor universities annually and seek to implement "plans for progress" with each University. This work will be undertaken alongside memory existing OFFA to monitor the levels of access and retention and to continuously check and monitor internal and external targets in these areas. It is also suggested that the "elite" universities may be required to demonstrate greater commitment to the integration of disadvantaged pupils by offering places to students with qualifications entry lower than those that would normally apply. Such an approach would seem likely may prove extremely controversial and unpopular institutions "elites", perhaps being perceived as an attack on the autonomy of their admission criteria, and also a threat to these indicators of table League positions which are often calculated using standards of entry as one of the decisive criteria.
OFFA has a number of sanctions at its disposal, to ensure respect for universities, although it is not currently envisaged that these sanctions will change its present powers, including the power to impose fines of up to £ 500,000, and the possibility to refuse or revoke the right of a University to charge annual tuition fees above the lower limit of £ 6000 to be introduced in 2012.
These developments have, however, come critical, with the idea that OFFA appears now perhaps more concerned with control of public spending to ensure a fair access and amalgam apparent of access agreements with price control initiatives. There is also a suggestion that the work of OFFA object can now be more concerned with the admission of a relatively few disadvantaged students in a small group of universities "elites" perceived, rather than the project great to ensure that a large number of disadvantaged students is able to access the system to the UK University as a whole.
While there is no doubt much worthy in attempts by the Government to ensure greater access to UK higher education, including the so-called "elite" institutions, it has long seemed clear to the author that many of the issues for access and, indeed, student retention turn on questions to get a place in a University that suits the particular subject student. At the risk of apparently indicating clearly, it is not the case where all students, or indeed all universities, can be regarded as equivalent. Students "traditional" what is often called levels need and types of support and comfort in some respects different from those of their more advantaged peers. It is certainly true that not all universities UK, or by any means any personal academic UK, are sufficiently aware and equipped for this. Those who seek to increase equitable access and retain a higher number of non-traditional students, might do well to take account of this fundamental message.
[1] Reported in the, 17.02.11, p.8
Dr. P. Cooper is an educational researcher qualified Ph.d. and a teacher qualified, specialized in higher education in the United Kingdom. Before entering higher education, he worked for 12 years in the industry, including five years at the Director level. He has research interests, in aspects of the development of education policies and practices and experiences of students in higher education. Make me visit: http://universityinsight.co.uk/
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar