So what happens now?
From 1 April the Office for Students holds the Designated Quality Body responsibilities in England, supposedly on an interim basis.
There are many in the sector – including some very senior figures – who do not feel that academic quality and standards are something that an arms-length government body (with four senior executives directly appointed by the Secretary of State) can do.
The OfS is taking these new responsibilities seriously – it is directly employing academic subject experts to provide legitimacy and knowledge, and has recently restarted “boots on the ground” regulatory inspections where provision is of concern.
But there is an expectation, from Universities UK and others, that “interim” really should mean interim, and a new – independent – DQB should be found as soon as possible to replace the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). This will not be easy.
