Proposals for an increased focus on the learner are included in the Government’s plans for the future of HE.

A new green paper from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills sets out proposals to change the higher education landscape. Fulfilling our potential: teaching excellence, social mobility and student choice seeks views on proposals to:

• Introduce a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) that “will deliver better value for money for students, employers and taxpayers” by measuring teacher quality. Universities who perform well on the TEF will be allowed to raise tuition fees (in line with inflation) above the current £9000 cap.
• Expand the HE sector by making it easier for new providers to enter the market, by providing quicker access to funding, a faster route to degree-awarding powers and removing the cap on student numbers for alternative providers.
• Create a new single gateway for entry and create a common system for all providers. 
• Establish a new Office for Students (OfS) to promote the student interest and ensure value for money, and to reduce the regulatory burden on the sector. This would mean a merger of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) to create a new single regulator for the sector. 
• Increase access and success in HE participation for those from disadvantaged and under-represented groups.