03/06/2003
Plans open door for specialist colleges to gain university status
Plans to enable specialist Higher Education Institutions in England to become universities have been announced today by the Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Margaret Hodge.
Currently, institutions need to teach in a wide range of subjects to be eligible for the university title. Today's announcement will mean that, subject to consultation, there will no longer be any barriers to high-quality institutions that specialise in one or two subjects becoming a university.
The Department for Education and Skills will consult shortly on revised criteria following a Review by the Quality Assurance Agency. New Universities are likely to come on stream from September 2004.
Other changes to the criteria will see institutions without research degree awarding powers to apply for University Title and to grant new Degree Awarding Powers for a limited time, subject to satisfactory quality reviews.
The Quality Assurance Agency has also been asked to streamline their procedures to speed up the application processes whilst ensuring rigour and standards are maintained.
Margaret Hodge said: "The most important requirement for the university title should be the quality of an institution's teaching and the number of students enrolled. Having a specialist focus should no longer be a bar to becoming a university. That is why we are drawing up new criteria that will open up the door to successful institutions who have been shut out for too long.
"Quality and standards will remain the overriding factor for granting degree awarding powers. There will be a time limit for those institutions that gain new degree awarding powers and they will have to prove that they are maintaining standards through a regular QAA Audit."
Following the establishment of the current criteria in 1999, one new university - the University of Gloucestershire - has been awarded title.
The Department will consult the sector with the aim of publishing finalised criteria by November 2003.
This timetable will allow institutions to submit applications against the criteria from December 2003, with any new powers and title coming into effect from 2004/05.
(GMcG)
Currently, institutions need to teach in a wide range of subjects to be eligible for the university title. Today's announcement will mean that, subject to consultation, there will no longer be any barriers to high-quality institutions that specialise in one or two subjects becoming a university.
The Department for Education and Skills will consult shortly on revised criteria following a Review by the Quality Assurance Agency. New Universities are likely to come on stream from September 2004.
Other changes to the criteria will see institutions without research degree awarding powers to apply for University Title and to grant new Degree Awarding Powers for a limited time, subject to satisfactory quality reviews.
The Quality Assurance Agency has also been asked to streamline their procedures to speed up the application processes whilst ensuring rigour and standards are maintained.
Margaret Hodge said: "The most important requirement for the university title should be the quality of an institution's teaching and the number of students enrolled. Having a specialist focus should no longer be a bar to becoming a university. That is why we are drawing up new criteria that will open up the door to successful institutions who have been shut out for too long.
"Quality and standards will remain the overriding factor for granting degree awarding powers. There will be a time limit for those institutions that gain new degree awarding powers and they will have to prove that they are maintaining standards through a regular QAA Audit."
Following the establishment of the current criteria in 1999, one new university - the University of Gloucestershire - has been awarded title.
The Department will consult the sector with the aim of publishing finalised criteria by November 2003.
This timetable will allow institutions to submit applications against the criteria from December 2003, with any new powers and title coming into effect from 2004/05.
(GMcG)
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