QAA responds to OfS 'Regulating Equality of Opportunity' Consultation

QAA has published its response to the Office for Students’ consultation on a new approach to regulating equality of opportunity in English higher education. QAA is responding in its capacity as the regulator for the Access to Higher Education Diploma.

QAA's view, speaking from its position as regulator of the Access to HE qualification, is that the current proposals do not give sufficient assurance that adult learners will not be neglected under the new approach. This is due to the lack of detail as to how the contents of the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register will be developed, raising concerns that it will focus on some groups of students at the expense of others, and the emphasis on raising pre-16 attainment in school throughout the proposals. While QAA supports raising pre-16 attainment, consideration needs to be given as to how this can be done meaningfully by the diverse range of providers in the English higher education sector.