Higher education degrees must maintain their currency

Higher education is rarely out of the headlines, and grade inflation in UK universities remains an issue of significant public debate.

Recent reports in Times Higher Education have highlighted the increase in the proportion of students receiving first or upper second-class degrees, with more than a quarter of graduates receiving first-class degrees in 2016-17 – up from 18 per cent in 2012-13.

Now, three-quarters of students are expected to graduate with firsts or 2:1s. Unless universities take action, it is likely that this proportion will rise further, undermining confidence in the value of a degree from a UK university and rendering the classification system less useful for employers and students.

The UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment, which provides oversight for quality and standards issues in higher education across the UK, is today launching a consultation with recommendations designed to address these challenges.

Such increases are not unique to the UK, and they are to be expected in a system like ours, which judges student performance against criteria rather than awarding a set proportion of degrees at a particular classification.

Students working harder, entering with higher qualifications, and better investment in teaching and learning are all things that may reasonably be expected to improve the proportion of firsts and 2:1s being awarded.

But it is also possible, in view of continued significant increases, that there is an element of inflation as well as genuine improvement. This is concerning for graduates, employers and all those who reasonably expect the system to be reliable, consistent and stable. It is also important to current and future students, who should be confident that the classification of their degrees will maintain its currency.

Today’s consultation is based on a report produced by Universities UK, GuildHE and the Quality Assurance Agency, which have been investigating this issue on behalf of the standing committee.

Universities, colleges, students, employers and others with an interest in this work are invited to respond to a series of proposals focused on improving transparency and understanding of the complex factors involved in determining the classification a student receives.

Crucially, the consultation sets out a draft description of expected student performance at each level of award, from first to third class. This has been developed by UUK, GuildHE and the QAA in consultation with the higher education sector throughout the past year. We want universities to consider whether this represents an accurate description of the expected standards for each award, and, if so, propose that it is used as a common reference point for universities.

The consultation recommends that universities publish and explain the processes that they use to determine a student’s final degree classification. This builds on work undertaken last year by UUK and GuildHE, which found that universities approach these processes very differently. Some differences might arise from pedagogical differences between disciplines. However, this report found clear opportunities to improve consistency.

It is important that universities draw on independent external expertise in designing, delivering and reviewing the processes that they have in place to ensure the standards of the qualifications they award. The consultation asks universities to consider appointing an external academic adviser to provide this expertise and to support university governing bodies in providing oversight of standards.

There is clearly more that can be done to tackle grade inflation and ensure public confidence in the results students receive and the value of their degrees, and these consultation proposals represent a substantial step forward for the higher education sector.

Longer-term measures may also be necessary, including, for example, removing the proportion of students receiving firsts or 2:1s from league tables. The proposals need meaningful consideration and engagement from universities and others with an interest in this work: the standing committee is wholly committed to achieving this through this consultation.

The diversity and autonomy that sit at the heart of UK higher education are among its greatest advantages. But we also believe that effective measures, considered within each provider’s individual context, are needed to respond to the significant challenge that grade inflation poses to public confidence in students’ results and the value of a UK degree.

Andrew Wathey is vice-chancellor of Northumbria University and chair of the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment.