Regular light touch assessments of higher education providers should be conducted to ensure up-to-date information is available on all institutions, not just those deemed to be performing poorly, according to the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
The body – which exited its quality role in the English system earlier this year – has released a policy note explaining what it sees as a quality system fit for the future.
It warns that the global reputation of the English higher education sector is at risk of being “undermined” if it further diverts from international standards, a key reason why it quit as the sector’s designated quality body.
In the document the QAA warns that the English system is “at odds with most other higher education quality systems” because of its focus only on where problems are occurring.
