One of the controversies that has surrounded the Office for Students’ inspections regime is the relatively opaque way that it selects providers and programmes.
The most we get is “criteria” for these student outcomes assessments, and we now have confirmation for the 2024 round of the areas it considers create the greatest risk to student outcomes, based on a review of the most recent data.
This academic year it’s going to select providers by considering outcomes on full-time first degree courses, including those with an integrated foundation year, and other undergraduate courses.
Importantly, we’re told that it will also consider business and management courses and courses delivered through sub-contractual partnerships. Additional criteria, such as the number of students affected, will be used to identify the final group of selected providers. And in the middle of that three-factor venn, there’s a very interesting slice of provision.
