Quality | 2009.10.31
Universities must reveal drop-out rates
Students to be given better information about quality of courses before starting a degree
University courses are to be tagged with their drop-out rates, graduates\' future earnings and the number of contact hours students can expect with tutors. The move, which will be modelled on a food-labelling system, is part of a consumer revolution in higher education to be unveiled this week by Lord Mandelson, the universities secretary.
Students should be treated more as paying customers and given better information about the quality of their courses before they embark on a degree, the new government framework for universities is expected to say on Tuesday.
The plan aims to set out the future priorities for universities before a major shake-up of the student funding system. It is also expected to recommend greater business involvement in universities and new admissions systems to identify talented applicants from poorer backgrounds in an attempt to break middle-class domination of the top institutions.
But the heavy emphasis on providing better value for money to students by making it clearer what their contribution is being spent on will fuel speculation that the government is paving the way for a rise in fees after the general election. Universities are lobbying to be allowed to charge more in top-up fees to increase their income – or protect it against looming public spending cuts. Ministers have already indicated that they will expect both students and employers to pay more towards the cost of university studies.
Under the plans for England, each course will come with a list setting out what the subject involves, how much teaching time students can expect, how often they will have tutorials with star academics and how much work they will be expected to do independently. It will also state the assessment methods and how often they will be examined.
Drop-out rates and statistics on employability of graduates will be given for six months and three years after they complete their studies. Future earnings could also be factored in to calculate the premium of studying high-intensity courses such as engineering and medicine. The government is expected to launch a consultation about how the system would be introduced. There could be a central website or universities could be expected to publish details in their prospectuses.
The National Union of Students said the system could warp universities\' priorities in the way that school league tables have encouraged schools to focus disproportionately on Sats tests.
The plan reflects the fact that there is growing anger among undergraduates about how their £3,225-a-year fees are being spent. In May this year undergraduates at Bristol University staged a tuition fees rebellion, complaining about reduced teaching hours and attempts to have essays marked by undergraduates instead of lecturers. Some 600 students reading economics and finance signed a complaint arguing that the university had failed to improve since fees were raised to more than £3,000 in 2006.
By clearly labelling each degree course, it is thought students will have more realistic expectations and universities will be forced to improve how they operate.
David Willetts, the Conservative shadow universities secretary, is working with Microsoft on plans to set up a Wikipedia-style guide to universities that would draw together data on graduation rates and job destinations and encourage students to give feedback to help other applicants. He has said universities should not be allowed to charge more in fees unless they can prove students are getting better value for money.
Wes Streeting, president of the NUS, said: "There is a balance to be struck between transparency and really commodifying higher education. There needs to be very good data included otherwise universities will offer more hours in huge lecture halls and cramped seminars when fewer hours with smaller groups would be much better. The benefits may force universities to drive up quality but it is riddled with risk."
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/nov/01/university-dropout-rates
