King’s Speech ‘poor quality degrees’ reference ‘beyond belief’

The Westminster government’s reference to “poor quality university degrees” in the King’s Speech was “beyond belief”, according to a former adviser to Conservative universities ministers.

The King’s Speech – a set-piece occasion laying out the government’s legislative agenda for the coming Parliament, read by the monarch to MPs and peers – said “proposals will be implemented to reduce the number of young people studying poor quality university degrees and increase the number undertaking high-quality apprenticeships”.

That was a reference to plans previously announced by Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, to crack down on “rip-off degrees”, via student number controls on courses falling below the Office for Students’ controversial quality thresholds.

Diana Beech, chief executive of London Higher and a former policy adviser to Conservative universities ministers, said: “On an occasion when the UK pulls out all the stops to impress the world with tradition and pageantry, it is beyond belief that the UK government would even contemplate asking His Majesty the King to speak negatively of the national asset that is our world-leading higher education and research sector.

“In its mission to appeal to domestic voters, the government appears to have forgotten that the world is watching, and the King’s reference to supposed ‘poor quality university degrees’ will not do ‘Global Britain’ any favours when the brightest and best from across the world choose to take their talents elsewhere.”

In announcing the student numbers cap plan in July, the Westminster government said it would ask the OfS “to limit the number of students universities can recruit onto courses that are failing to deliver good outcomes”.

The King’s Speech used a different phrasing in its reference to an intention to “reduce” the number of students taking “poor quality university degrees”.

Dr Beech said: “The ominous wording around the plan ‘to reduce the number of young people’ studying these degrees also reveals we are still live to the risk of the reimposition of some form of student number controls, which could block opportunity from those who can benefit from it the most.”

Joe Marshall, chief executive of the National Centre for Universities and Business, echoed Dr Beech’s concern.

“It’s concerning that today’s King’s Speech referenced cutting down ‘poor quality university degrees’,” Dr Marshall said. “At a time of serious and widespread economic uncertainty, we should be celebrating the fact that our nation’s universities generate the skilled and versatile workforce that businesses require, contributing to the nation’s recovery in the post-pandemic era.

“Having a degree is typically associated with higher wages, increasing opportunity and driving productivity.

“More worrying still is that the type of course selected for a cap is more likely to be one with a high proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This punishes universities that push boundaries to widen social mobility.”

john.morgan@timeshighereducation.com