Higher education Green Paper – response from the Chartered Association of Business Schools

The government has today published its higher education Green Paper and opened consultation on a range of proposals relating to teaching excellence, social mobility and student choice.

The Chartered Association of Business Schools commend proposals to further raise the quality of teaching and to widen choice and participation for students. We welcome the outline of a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and its emphasis on driving up standards, recognising high-value teaching and delivering value for students. In consultation with government, we have supported an approach to TEF that includes a basket of measures and we welcome the proposal to take into account metrics alongside additional evidence. Metrics must be sufficiently broad and take into account the diverse nature of HEI’s and to allow for innovation in teaching. We look forward to feeding into the development of these metrics, with input from our members.

Commenting on the Green Paper, Anne Kiem, Chief Executive of the Chartered ABS said:

“British business schools understand the importance of teaching excellence and maintaining high standards. Our members rank amongst the best in the world and continuously aim to provide top-class education to students while appropriately ensuring student satisfaction. We are encouraged by the long overdue action of giving teaching parity of esteem with research, and especially the intention to recognise and support both aspects of higher education business.

There is a lot of detail still to be worked through with respect to fee increases, the role of the Office for Students, research funding and how that fits with the Nurse Reviews and we look forward to working with the Government to ensure there is no added bureaucracy, just genuine support and reward.”

Professor Angus Laing, Chair of the Chartered ABS said:

“Policy initiatives such as the proposed TEF which provide students, both British and international, with robust and reliable indicators of the quality of the educational experience at British business schools are to be welcomed. It is important in developing the measures to be employed within the TEF that two considerations are taken into account. Firstly, that softer elements of the learning experience, such as the importance of being taught by leading edge researchers is recognised as central to the delivery of a transformational university experience. Secondly, that the measures employed do not result in risk aversion and an increasing homogenisation of provision, and the consequent loss of diversity and real choice for students.”

You can read the green paper in full here.