Quality assurance

Putting universities in ‘special measures’ or even abolishing degree classifications altogether should be on the table, says Geoffrey Alderman

Regulator rules against firm over implication students could submit essays as own and claims about writers’ university backgrounds

Australia’s move to performance-based funding must be better thought through than England’s TEF, say Gwilym Croucher and Kenneth Moore

One of two men accused of killing Gregory Kamwendo is a former colleague at the University of Zululand

With one more year to go until the end of a decade that is transforming universities worldwide, Times Higher Education looks at the trends that have shaped the past 12 months

Essay mills ‘possibly our biggest reputational risk’, advisory panel says

Office for Students head says ‘spiralling grade inflation’ must be tackled after latest figures show universities with most explaining to do on issue

Expert panel given six months to design new system

Academic who has advocated new band of top degree marks now being considered by sector says system still needs ‘fundamental’ reform

More than 40 per cent of firsts last year were ‘unexplained’, finds UUK-commissioned report

Data analysis by THE looks at three disciplines where the rise in firsts has been particularly high

Some grades increased at Teesside using standard formula in case that could be smoking gun on reasons for wider grade inflation

Trump administration plans to allow universities to attract federal funding for students based not on the amount of time they spend studying but on measurements of their ability

Accusations of academic malpractice have forced two resignations and reached the prime minister

Regulator’s figures reveal intensive student ‘churn’ and heavy concentration in business courses

India’s downsized Institutes of Eminence programme has dashed the hopes of those keen to see an improvement in higher education quality, says Pushkar

Government to check state employees’ credentials after forgeries exposed

Tightly defined learning levels are inappropriate in an age of stackable credentials, report suggests

Ministry of Education says concerns were raised over ‘poor teaching standards’ of some joint initiatives

Some commentators have urged the UK to replicate German universities of applied science. It’s not that simple, says Neil Shirtcliffe

Three-quarters of students in the UK now receive ‘good’ degrees, compared with just half 20 years ago. Is grade inflation an inevitable result of the marketisation of higher education and is the picture the same worldwide? Simon Baker examines the evidence

If the Australian government wants to link university funding to student satisfaction, it must ensure that scores reflect more than students’ gender, wealth or ease of passage, says Julie Hare

Concerns about whether internationalisation and English usage has gone too far should be addressed from the perspective of quality assurance, says Michèle Wera

The initial botched attempt to draw up a shortlist of institutions eligible for extra funding does not augur well, writes Pushkar

The new remit for the Higher Education Standards Panel flags up various regulatory issues that the minister wants to see addressed, says Gavin Moodie

Felicity Mitchell and Ben Elger to lead Office of the Independent Adjudicator

New software to identify ghostwritten essays welcomed, but experts say it is not a panacea

Institutions operating without full university degree-awarding accreditation also to be targeted

Provincial government has also announced funding for aboriginal institutions to expand their capacity 

Focus on rankings risks neglecting the genuine quality improvements that could propel Indian institutions into the global league, says Amarnath Bose

The TEF’s new name may be less misleading, but its incentives remain just as perverse, says Roger Brown

Senior QAA reviewer claims it is unfair to compare alternative providers to universities when they charge different fees

Quality assurance professionals call for system to verify refugees’ education credentials before ‘next crisis’

Former education minister says government will table bill for creation of new degree standardising body

Martin Kurzweil and Wendell Pritchett cast their eye over the possible future direction of quality assurance under Trump

Challenge means that institution’s entry into teaching excellence framework based on 2009 report

Leading scholar says many countries have ‘neither the will nor the capacity’ to manage growth

UK government asks for new guidance to help universities tackle custom essay writing services

Fabrizio Trifirò explores the difficulties of quality assurance across borders

Education ministry is analysing a report into the quality of higher education and may close down substandard institutions

Author of paper into the issue says international higher education is a ‘long way off’ clear principles

Despite having some questions about how the bill will be implemented, Douglas Blackstock believes it is a force for good

Judy Clements warns English and Welsh universities may have to contribute more towards adjudicator to meet demand

A sociologist who helped to forge new qualifications and quality assurance regimes has died

Banning ghostwriting services from advertising won’t stop students cheating, but four simple steps could hobble them, says Geoffrey Alderman

Treating students as consumers has precipitated a rush to the bottom to give them exactly what they want, says John Warren

They can cause confusion about qualifications and embarrassment for institutions, so why are they awarded? Malcolm Gillies investigates

Smaller, newer alternative providers are less likely to pass higher education review, analysis says

Beefing up the independent adjudicator’s role would benefit the sector and students alike, says Matthew Wyard

Three institutions agree to changes over fees, course costs and progression

BIS-appointed anti-fraud agency says criminals could use photos to access latest designs

Progress needed on equity, quality assurance and research, says University of Chile academic

Consultation on ‘smaller’ watchdog comes after Hefce took quality assessment work in-house

Quality Assurance Agency says university should even out disparity in number of tutorials and essays set by colleges

OIA says recommended payouts topped £485,000 in 2015 despite reduction in the number of cases

QAA finds lax entry standards at Cardiff college formerly led by principal with ‘falsified’ PhD

The Office for Students will kill off institutional autonomy, says Geoffrey Alderman, and the sector has only itself to blame

As funding council plans to keep independent reviews, Colin Riordan says UK-wide system must be protected

Agency is preferred bidder for four of six quality tenders offered by Hefce, alongside HEA and Leadership Foundation

Contract terms bring criticism of funding council, but it defends ‘normal commercial practice’