Pre-Appointment Hearing: Appointment of Director of the Office for Fair Access - Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Contents


1  Appointment of the Director of the Office for Fair Access


Introduction

1. The post of Director of the Office for Fair Access is one of the posts identified by the Government as suitable for a pre-appointment hearing by our Committee.[1] Following a recent recruitment exercise, the Department forwarded to us the Secretary of State's letter confirming the name of the preferred candidate; the candidate's curriculum vitae; and supporting material setting out the requirements of the post and the details of the recruitment process. These papers are printed as appendices to this Report.

The Office for Fair Access

2. The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) was set up under the Higher Education Act 2004 to ensure that the introduction of higher tuition fees in 2006-07 did not deter people from entering higher education for financial reasons and to provide a means of monitoring universities' and colleges' commitment to increasing participation in higher education among under-represented groups.[2]

3. The Office for Fair Access has three core aims:

  • To support and encourage improvements in participation rates in higher education from low income and other under-represented groups;
  • To reduce as far as practicable the barriers to higher education for students from low income and other under-represented groups by ensuring that institutions continue to invest in outreach and financial support; and
  • To support and encourage equality of opportunity through the provision of clear and accessible financial information for students, their parents/carers and their advisers.

These aims are primarily delivered through the implementation of approved access agreements between OFFA and individual universities.[3]

The role of the Director of OFFA

4. All higher education institutions which intend to charge more than the basic £6,000 annual graduate contribution have to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the independent Director what more they will do to attract students from under-represented and disadvantaged groups.[4]

5. The Government's White Paper on Higher Education Reform, Students at the Heart of the System, announced proposals to strengthen both the powers of OFFA and the role of the independent Director, so that it could "provide more active and energetic challenge and support to universities and colleges".[5] In the information sent to candidates, the Government stated that it wanted to see:

A shift away from assessment of inputs and processes, to a focus on clear outputs from access activities and measurable progress against appropriate measures and targets chosen by the institution and agreed with OFFA.[6]

The information for candidates also stated that:

We will ask the new Director to advise on whether OFFA's current powers are the right ones to achieve its statutory goals, or whether some clarification or extension is required. We have already asked for advice in the autumn following the first round of approval of new access agreements. While ensuring that the Director has appropriate powers and resource to promote and champion access, we will retain the Director's independence, discretion and duty to protect academic freedom.[7]

Job Specification

6. The published criteria for the shortlist were as follows:

  • demonstrate strategic and influential leadership over a sustained period, operating at top-management level in a complex and dynamic environment with developing resources;
  • provide convincing evidence of successfully motivating stakeholders and partners and persuading them to fulfil their responsibilities, and of interaction with Government and influential national bodies;
  • manage and bring about sector-wide change in the light of new or developing arrangements, policies and priorities;
  • promote the strengths of the arguments in face of opposition;
  • communicate persuasively and publicly, with excellent presentational skills;
  • demonstrate their understanding of financial and corporate governance standards, including an appreciation of good practice in equality and diversity and standards of conduct in public life;
  • use his or her powers to enforce agreements that are not being fulfilled;
  • reveal a solid understanding of English higher education; and
  • operate independently within a legal framework, and maintain that independence—taking responsibility for their own decisions, justifying publicly the approaches taken and withstanding robust interrogation including from the media.

7. The appointment is for three years, with the possibility for re-appointment. The appointment will be made on a part time basis, averaging 3 days a week and remuneration will be pro-rata to a full time equivalent of up to £130,000 per annum.[8]

The preferred candidate: Professor Les Ebdon

THE CANDIDATE'S BACKGROUND

8. Professor Les Ebdon has over 44 years of experience in Higher Education. He is currently the Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Bedfordshire. In addition, he is also the Chair of million+, the university think-tank, a member of the board of Universities UK and Chair of Universities UK Students Quality and Participation Network. Since 2004, Professor Ebdon has been a member of the Measurement Board at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and is also a member of the Department's Further Education and Skills Ministerial Advisory Panel.[9]

OUR EVIDENCE

9. In line with the guidance produced by the Liaison Committee on the conduct of pre-appointment hearings, our evidence session assessed the candidate's professional competence and personal independence. In particular, we questioned Professor Ebdon on the following specific matters:

  • What relevant expertise he would bring to the post and in particular his record of widening participation;
  • Real or perceived conflicts of interest in relation to both his views on the Government's higher education reforms and a number of posts he currently holds;
  • His understanding of access agreements between universities and OFFA and the enforcement of those agreements;
  • Future priorities for the Office for Fair Access; and
  • The future role and powers of the Office for Fair Access and its Director.[10]

The Committee's view on the suitability of the candidate

10. Professor Ebdon has extensive experience in higher education. However, concerns about his suitability for the post of Director of OFFA arose during his evidence and we struggled to get a clear picture of Professor Ebdon's strategy for the future of OFFA.

11. While he demonstrated an all-round understanding of widening participation, we were not convinced by Professor Ebdon's descriptions of the root causes of the obstacles to accessing universities. Therefore, we have to question his evidence in respect of two of the criteria for selection, namely "promote the strengths of the arguments in face of opposition" and "communicate persuasively and publicly, with excellent presentational stills". We are unable to endorse the appointment of Professor Ebdon as the Director of OFFA and we recommend that the Department conduct a new recruitment exercise.

12. We further recommend that the Department ensure that there is sufficient flexibility in the job description and package to attract the widest range of quality applicants to the job.


1   www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmliaisn/594/594.pdf Back

2   www.offa.org.uk/about/background/ Back

3   www.offa.org.uk/about/objectives/ Back

4   Appendix 3 Back

5   Appendix 3 Back

6   Appendix 3 Back

7   Appendix 3 Back

8   Appendix 3 Back

9   Further information on these positions can be found at www.bis.gov.uk  Back

10   The oral evidence will be printed as HC1811-i and published in due course on the Committee's website www.parliament.uk/biscom  Back


 
previous page contents next page


© Parliamentary copyright 2012
Prepared 8 February 2012