Three universities are being investigated after a “sharp rise” within the variety of firstclass and higher second class grades awarded to college students.
It’s believed to be the primary time the Workplace for College students (OfS) has formally probed establishments over grade inflation since gaining new powers earlier this yr.
The regulator refused to call the colleges below investigation on Friday. “We anticipate to publish additional particulars sooner or later, as our investigations progress,” it mentioned.
The OfS mentioned it had “recognized potential considerations that require additional scrutiny” on the establishments. But it surely confused this was to not be interpreted as wrongdoing at this stage.
The upper training regulator has vowed to clamp down on grade inflation at UK universities, warning this risked undermining public confidence within the worth of levels.
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It launched figures final month displaying the proportion of firstclass levels greater than doubled in only a decade – up from just below 16 per cent to 37 per cent within the 2020-2021 tutorial yr.
The OfS gained new powers to clamp down on grade inflation earlier this yr.
It launched a brand new regulatory situation earlier this yr, which requires universities to “assess college students successfully and award {qualifications} which can be credible and stand the take a look at of time”.
The brand new investigations can be whether or not the three universities are complying with this situation.
Earlier this yr, the OfS director of high quality hit out at grade inflation because the regulator launched new figures how the proportion of prime levels has elevated over time.
“Important and sustained will increase in diploma classifications threat public confidence in greater training and will undermine the worth of scholars’ laborious work,” Jean Arnold, its director of high quality, mentioned.
“The regular progress in greater diploma classifications over a few years, particularly firstclass levels, has led to considerations that levels have misplaced their worth over time.”