Universities to be punished for awarding ‘too many’ top degrees in new rating system
- Minister announces universities will be punished for awarding too many firsts
- Sam Gyimah believes vice chancellors are inflating degree grades to look better
- Universities which hand out too many firsts could tumble in official league tables
Mr Gyimah, above, said he will combat the problem by making grade inflation one of the key criteria against which institutions will be measured in the national rating system [File photo]
Universities will be punished for dishing out too many firsts after the number awarded quadrupled in two decades.
Sam Gyimah, the universities minister, believes many vice chancellors are undermining the system by ‘inflating’ grades.
Under plans announced today, institutions that artificially give out too many high marks will be penalised in government rankings.
It could mean those handing out excessive numbers of first-class degrees tumbling down league tables.
Data shows 26 per cent of students graduated with a first last year – up from 18 per cent in 2013 and 7 per cent in 1997.
Experts say the rise is due to universities trying to boost their popularity with students, as the more firsts they can give out, the more attractive they become.
Some unofficial league tables used by students and parents rank universities on how many firsts and 2:1s they hand out.
Ministers repeatedly asked universities to tackle the issue of grade inflation – to little effect. Earlier this year, the Reform think tank warned urgent action should be taken to halt the trend [File photo]
Universities are competing to attract as many students as possible due to an oversupply of places and budget pressures.
Unveiling his plan, Mr Gyimah said: ‘When you look at what makes our universities so prestigious, it comes down to the value of our degrees – they open up a huge range of opportunities and the chance to step into a rewarding and highly-skilled career.
‘The value of those degrees is threatened by grade inflation and that is a problem for students, employers and the universities themselves.
Former universities minister Jo Johnson warned grade inflation is ‘ripping’ through universities and risks creating a ‘dangerous impression of slipping standards’ earlier this year
‘These new measures will look at how we can protect our globally-recognised higher education system by discouraging universities from undermining the reverence a degree qualification from the UK commands.’
Grade inflation has created big problem for recruiters, as they can no longer pinpoint truly brilliant candidates. A 2:1 or ‘upper second’ is now standard – with 75 per cent of students getting this grade, up from 68 per cent in 2013 and 47 per cent in 1997.
It is thought universities are under extra pressure from students feeling they are owed good grades due to the higher £9,250-a-year tuition fees.
Mr Gyimah said he will combat the problem by making grade inflation one of the key criteria against which institutions will be measured in the national rating system.
The Teaching Excellence Framework, launched last year, rates universities with gold, silver or bronze scores.
Criteria currently include student experience, teaching quality and whether courses are sufficiently stretching. The new ‘grade inflation’ category will mean universities are assessed on whether they are ‘taking a responsible approach to degree grading’ and ‘not awarding excessive numbers of firsts and 2:1s’.
It comes after ministers repeatedly asked universities to tackle the issue of grade inflation – to little effect. Earlier this year, the Reform think tank warned urgent action should be taken to halt the trend.
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The report’s author Tom Richmond, a former ministerial adviser at the Department for Education, said at the time: ‘Rocketing degree grade inflation is in no one’s interest.
‘Universities may think easier degrees are a way to attract students, but eventually they will lose currency and students will go elsewhere, even overseas.’
According to the Sunday Times Good University Guide, some of the most prolific awarders of firsts and 2:1s are Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, Durham, Imperial and UCL.
It is thought universities are under extra pressure from students feeling they are owed good grades due to the higher £9,250-a-year tuition fees [File photo]
A spokesman for Universities UK – the body representing higher education institutions – said it was also gathering evidence on what was behind the rise in top degrees.
‘It is essential that students, employers and the public have confidence in the ongoing value of a UK degree and the outcome of students’ hard work,’ he said.
‘The sector has changed significantly in recent years, with universities putting more emphasis on the quality of teaching and investing in technology and learning support, alongside the fact that with higher fees students may be working harder to achieve higher grades.’
He added that Universities UK would also be proposing measures to tackle the practice.
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