Press coverage

Tom Richmond, Senior Research Fellow at Reform, appeared on Love Sport Radio following the publication of Reform‘s latest report, A degree of uncertainty: an investigation into grade inflation in universities.

He argued that not only is grade inflation visible across most of Higher Education, the rate of grade inflation is accelerating. A large number of universities have at least doubled, if not tripled or quadrupled, their proportion of ‘Firsts’ in recent years, which shows that the current systems in place to protect quality and standards are not working well enough. A new approach is needed if the degree grades given to students at the end of their course are to remain meaningful to them and to employers.

Tom Richmond, Senior Research Fellow at Reform, appeared on BBC Three Counties Radio to discuss the findings of Reform‘s latest report, A degree of uncertainty: an investigation into grade inflation in universities.

He argued that rising grade inflation is a concern and is a pattern across the sector. The current landscape for universities is competitive, and lowering standards to get better degree grades may be a way to attract students to their institution. It’s important for universities to be independent from government but he argues that professional bodies should play a larger role in determining degree grades. 

The Office for Students made an official response to Reform‘s latest report, A degree of uncertainty: an investigation into grade inflation in universities.

Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of the Office for Students, said:

‘It is important that degrees hold their value over time, and if there is artificial grade inflation this is not in the interests of students, employers or the higher education sector. The report by Reform is a useful contribution to the debate, and there is other work currently under way by the OfS and other partners to assess the complex issues involved, so that we can fully understand and tackle this in the right way.’ 

Find out more here.

On 21 June 2018, Reform published a report on grade inflation in universities,  A degree of uncertainty: an investigation into grade inflation in universities. Media coverage included The Independent, The Telegraph, BBC News, The Times, a second longer op-ed in The Times, Daily Mail, Times Higher Education, Education Investor, Forbes, Department for Education, The Scotsman, Spiked and an article on grade inflation and international examples in Times Higher Education.

Global coverage included news in China, Education News and Study International. 

Tom Richmond, Senior Research Fellow at Reform, appeared on Talk Radio to discuss the findings of Reform‘s latest report, A degree of uncertainty: an investigation into grade inflation in universities.

He argued that some employers are concerned about degree grades, some giving up on them as an indication of a student’s ability. The figures speak for itself: in the 1990s, 7 per cent of students were awarded a First; in 2017, the number has quadrupled to 26 per cent. There was a similar issue of grade inflation in schools which has now been squashed. This was due to the outside involvement of the then Secretary of State and Ofqual.

Tom Richmond, Senior Research Fellow at Reform, appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme to discuss the findings of Reform‘s latest report, A degree of uncertainty: an investigation into grade inflation in universities.

He argued that grade inflation has reached “extraordinary levels”. In the 1990s, the proportion of students receiving Firsts was 7 per cent. This has quadrupled to 26 per cent of students in 2017. It appears the reason for this is universities themselves with academics saying there is pressure to revise marks to a higher grade. Students will lose out most as employers are starting to give up on degree grades, finding them meaningless.

You can listen to the full episode here (Tom appears at 50.40).

In a recent article in FE Week, the Association of Employment and Learning Providers defend level 2 apprenticeships. Tom Richmond, Senior Research Fellow at Reform, responds to this in the article and is disappointed they aren’t acknowledging that many of these apprenticeships fall short of international standards.

“Reform strongly supports more apprenticeships in the service sector, but “too many level two programmes fall well short of international standards and simply would not be recognised as apprenticeships in other countries because they offer so little training”.”

Read the full article here.

Tom Richmond, Senior Research Fellow at Reform, wrote an essay in the Learning and Work Institute’s collection, ‘All work: Where next for apprenticeships reform?’. He wrote about the quality of apprenticeships in an essay titled ‘Quality first, access second?’.

You can find the collection of essays here.

In an article published by ZD Net on blockchain, Eleonora Harwich, Director of Research and Head of Digital and Tech Innovation, is cited and quoted.

“In its theoretical core, blockchain does have the intention to bring down power structures for sure. But I don’t think that’s the kind of applications we are talking about in the public sector,” says Harwich.

Read the full article here.