Governors ‘should be more involved in standards’

University boards of governors should take a more active role in overseeing teaching and learning if institutions are to protect their academic autonomy and resist ever more intrusive interventions from regulators, according to a report.

A policy note from the Higher Education Policy Institute, released on 14 July, says the increased emphasis on quality in higher education in England requires governing bodies to get more hands-on in maintaining robust academic standards.

It recommends that institutions keep their governors regularly updated on issues of academic quality, including providing them with annual degree outcome statements that outline any major changes in grade distribution and producing a quality report based on “key performance indicators” such as how courses have fared in the National Student Survey.

Written by Alex Bols, the deputy chief executive of GuildHE, the Hepi report notes that issues of academic quality and standards are rarely far from the headlines, with much attention in Westminster on “Mickey Mouse” degrees and grade inflation.

This has culminated in a new regulator – the Office for Students – that is far more prepared to intervene in quality issues, seen most clearly by the recent announcement of “boots on the ground” inspections at eight providers.

Universities are awaiting the publication of a set of outcomes by which the OfS will judge quality – likely including an expectation that six in 10 graduates will progress into professional and managerial jobs. Dr Bols writes that governors will likely increasingly demand to see updates on how institutions are progressing against these measures given the potential reputational risks of falling short.

He notes that boards took a more active role in upholding standards than was traditionally the case during the pandemic, including introducing emergency regulations or “no detriment policies”, considering assessment burdens and assessing the potential risks and benefits of the shift to online learning.

This, he writes, “presents an opportunity to engage boards of governors further in questions of academic governance”.

“University chairs are often seen as more independent of the institution and can make significant – and more proactive – contributions to providing wider public assurance based on deeper understanding and engagement,” he adds.

Speaking about the report, Dr Bols – who serves on the boards of the University College of Osteopathy and Writtle University College – said that although teaching and learning was the main activity of most higher education institutions, many governing bodies were “seen as far removed from issues of academic quality, relying too much on assurances from academic boards”.

“The English regulator, the Office for Students, has imposed clear expectations on governing bodies in relation to maintaining standards. So issues of quality and standards are fast rising up institutional risk registers,” he said.

“We must expand and deepen the understanding of higher education governing bodies on academic issues. This should include giving them clearer and better information to help them fulfil their functions, as well as ensuring a better balance between the university governing body and the academic board or senate.”

tom.williams@timeshighereducation.com