University of Bolton ordered to improve by education watchdog
The University of Bolton has been told to improve the quality of its business and management courses in the first ever critical assessment reports by the regulator, the Office for Students.
Assessment teams from the OFS found four areas of concern and concluded that the University of Bolton “has not currently taken all steps to ensure that each cohort of students registered on the business and management courses … receive sufficient resources and support for ensuring that those students succeed in and beyond higher education.”
It acknowledged that Bolton had made improvements with an Institute’s Student Success Zone and the University’s LEAP Live and LEAP Online, and that these were positive contributions that are likely to have beneficial impacts on students going forward.
However, the report also said academic staff were “over-stretched” and struggled to accommodate individual tutorials for all students. “This raised a concern as, although a number of students may not engage with tutorials, this often seemed to have been the primary means of providing formative feedback.”
A report for another university in London did not raise causes for concern.
Commenting, Susan Lapworth, chief executive of the OfS, said: “Students from all backgrounds are entitled to study on high quality courses which equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed after graduation. Ensuring this is the case is a central element of the OfS’s strategy.
“Publication of these first assessment reports is an important milestone in the OfS’s regulation of quality in higher education. The reports have two purposes. First, they will drive improvement in individual institutions where assessment teams have found concerns. Second, they will prompt all universities and colleges to consider the quality of their courses, and to take action to make any necessary improvements ahead of potential regulatory intervention.”
A University of Bolton spokesman said: “Any issues were restricted to some aspects of academic support. The assessors have confidence that the university is on top of the challenges.”
Last week Bolton issued a bullish press release when it did well in the annual Guardian university guide. moving into the top 30 on some measures.
Professor George E Holmes, president and Vice Chancellor said: “This further move higher up the Guardian league table rankings shows that we are providing excellence in teaching and student experience when compared with some of the most renowned institutions in the UK.”
The critical report comes as pressure grows on universities to crack down on degrees with poor employment outcomes.
