The Office for Students should publish performance data for private providers of “franchised” university courses to improve transparency, MPs have said as they warn of system fraud and abuse.
A report published by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee today has raised concerns about a “lack of transparency” around university courses that have been subcontracted to private providers and further education colleges.
According to the committee, course completion rates can be as low as 60 per cent at some franchised providers, compared to an average of 90 per cent across the higher education sector.
Students should have the information they need to make “well-informed decisions” such as outcome data, which the Office for Students already has access to but doesn’t currently publish.
