Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Undergraduate Degrees: Equal Standards

Monday 28 November 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • John Penrose questioned the Department on plans to ensure equal standards for undergraduate degree grades across all higher education courses.
  • The Department responded that sector-recognized standards are set by the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment to ensure degrees equip students with necessary skills and knowledge.
  • John Penrose highlighted that while universities accept the principle of moderating standards, there is doubt among employers and students about the consistency of degree grades across different universities.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 John Penrose Con
Education
Context

The MP is concerned about the variability in grading standards across different higher education institutions, affecting student and employer perceptions.

Question

What plans her Department has to ensure that the grades of undergraduate degrees in similar subjects on all higher education courses are of an equal standard?

Answer from Robert Halfon

Our important sector-recognised standards are agreed by the UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment to ensure that degrees equip students with the skills and knowledge required for them to succeed. Provider autonomy on what and how they teach is vital, and we must avoid driving standardisation over innovation. The Office for Students regulates to these agreed standards and investigates any concerns.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address the question about standardising degree grades across institutions.

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Q2 John Penrose Con
Education
Context

The MP follows up by emphasizing the issue of inconsistent grading standards across universities, highlighting its impact on equality and career prospects.

Question

For every other serious qualification, any particular grade is worth the same whether a person studied in Truro or in Tadcaster. Even though universities accept the principle of moderating their standards, no employer or student thinks a 2:1 in English or chemistry is worth the same from every university. Does the Minister agree that equally valuable degrees would give a second chance to anyone who does not get into their first-choice university, would wipe out some of the snobbery that still infects parts of our higher-education system, and would level up life chances across the country?

Answer from Robert Halfon

Of course I will consider what my hon. Friend has said, but my priority for higher education was set out in a recent speech—it is skills, jobs and social justice, by which I mean ensuring that disadvantaged people can climb the higher education ladder of opportunity. He will know that the sector regional standards set out the terms of grading and content, but we should judge students on the outcomes: are they getting good skills and are they getting good jobs?

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address the specific question about equal grading standards across universities.

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