Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
The National Audit Office reported that the OfS does not yet have a complete and...
Conclusion
The National Audit Office reported that the OfS does not yet have a complete and transparent set of performance measures to demonstrate its own performance as a regulator.21 Of the 26 performance indicators the OfS sets out on its website, eight are still in development or have incomplete performance information and a further 11 indicators do not yet have associated targets. We asked the Department how it was able to hold the OfS to account without the management information that such a set of measures would provide. The Department and the OfS recognised that development of the indicators had 15 Qq 72–78 16 Q 33–35, 42–43 17 Q 55 18 Q 55; C&AG’s Report, paras 3.5–3.6 19 C&AG’s Report, para 1.8 20 Qq 45, 50; C&AG’s Report, paras 3.5, 3.25 21 C&AG’s Report, para 16 Financial sustainability of the higher education sector in England 11 not been a priority during the COVID-19 pandemic, but told us that it was not something they were complacent about. They told us that the measures would be reviewed in line with the OfS’s new strategy and would be in a better place by summer 2022.22
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
2: PAC conclusion: Despite a background of deteriorating financial health of an increasing number of providers, the Department is not effectively holding the OfS to account. 2: PAC recommendation: Working with the OfS, the Department should establish a complete set of robust, published performance measures and targets, including structured feedback from providers, and use these to hold the OfS to account for its effectiveness. 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: September 2022 2.2 The OfS is in the process of concluding the review of its key performance measures, with a view to these being published by September 2022. 2.3 These revised measures will ensure alignment with the OfS’s strategy for 2022-2025 and the strategic priorities of the Secretary of State for Education, as well as providing strengthened performance reporting for the departmental Board. 2.4 In addition, the Department for Education (the department) is working with the OfS to agree an aligned suite of internal performance measures which will help the department to hold the OfS to account better. 2.5 The OfS already consults the sector on its activity, including regular meetings with sector bodies, organising events for the sector and participating in their events, as well as engaging them through round tables and training sessions on regulatory issues. In response to the sector, the OfS has improved its regular communications with providers through regular mailings, pulling together information and resources, an approach welcomed by sector bodies. 2.6 The OfS has commissioned qualitative research with a wide range of providers to collate and assess the impact and understanding of its communication and interactions with individual universities and colleges. In all these interactions, the OfS aims to work in the interests of students whilst taking a risk based, proportionate approach.