QAA's Chief Executive given evidence to IUSS Select Committee
QAA's Chief Executive Peter Williams has today given evidence to the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee on standards in higher education. The session considered academic standards in UK universities; examined issues raised in QAA's recently published Outcomes from institutional audit papers on the assessment of students, use of external examiners, and international students; and discussed issues associated with degree inflation and classification recently reported in the media.
Peter Williams says: 'I am pleased to have been invited to give evidence to the Select Committee. Academic standards in UK higher education are sound and robust. Our quality assurance procedures, and those of the institutions themselves, regularly and repeatedly demonstrate the strength of academic quality and standards throughout a very diverse system.
‘Through our external reviews, we highlight areas that institutions need to address to maintain and improve standards and to make sure that minor shortcomings don’t become major problems more generally. Higher education institutions are aware that they need to manage their standards carefully in order that their students can be offered a good educational experience and graduate with a qualification that's worth having.'
Concluding his evidence, Peter Williams set out a plan for further action inviting evidence to be provided to QAA for consideration under the Handling causes for concern procedure.
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For further information, please contact QAA’s press office on 01452 557047 or email k.sharrock@qaa.ac.uk or s.hogan@qaa.ac.uk
The procedure for Handling causes for concern in English higher and further education institutions is available at www.qaa.ac.uk/aboutus/policy/concern.asp
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