You are:

Research and Publication Banner

Credit Risk? Reviving credit accumulation and transfer in UK higher education

Professor Sir David Watson
Green Templeton College, University of Oxford
Stimulus Paper, September 2013

Our research forms part of the Leadership Foundation membership benefit. Hard copies of this Stimulus Paper have been distributed to all member institutions and the PDF is available for members to download by clicking the image below.

Credit Risk? Reviving credit accumulation and transfer in UK higher Education

 "A cat’s entitled to expect these evidences of respect"

TS Eliot, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939)
Set to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber (1981)

Executive Summary

This paper attempts to explain why credit accumulation and transfer (CATS) is important across the UK’s system of lifelong learning (especially within higher education) and why it has largely failed to fulfil that promise.

It starts with a survey of the recent policy position and an exploration of what fully adopting CATS means for a higher education institution (HEI).

It proceeds to examine in detail the performance of the UK system, exploring the impact of devolution, and benchmarking the UK against North America and the European Union.

The paper then identifies an earlier phase of enthusiasm for modular course design and delivery, and describes how this approach came to be sidelined.

It concludes by making the case that reviving CATS will be critical in the UK’s drive to establish a comprehensive and progressive environment for post-compulsory education and training - within and beyond the higher education sector - as well as setting out the implications for institutional leadership and management.

Return to Top

 

Main Menu

  1. Home
  2. Programmes
    1. Senior Executive Leaders
      1. Top Management Programme
        1. Top Management Programme Starter for 10
        2. Top Management Programme Alumni
        3. The Longitudinal Study
      2. Strategic Finance Programme
        1. Essential Resources
      3. Governance Professionals in HE
      4. Rethinking Governance
      5. Executive Masterclass
    2. Senior Leaders
      1. Strategic Leadership Programme
      2. Preparing for Senior Strategic Leadership
      3. Future Professional Directors
      4. Leading Departments
      5. Leading Transformation in Learning and Teaching
      6. Research Leader's Impact Toolkit
    3. New Leaders
      1. Introduction to Head of Department
      2. Transition to Leadership
      3. Higher Education Insights
      4. Research Team Leadership
      5. Essentials of Budgeting
    4. Equality and Diversity
      1. Aurora
        1. Dates, Venues and Booking for 2018/2019
        2. Guidance for Institutions
        3. Aurora Champion Directory
        4. Role Models
        5. Resources
        6. The Longitudinal Study
        7. Case Studies
        8. Aurora Events
        9. Aurora Films
        10. About Aurora
        11. Aurora Inspiring Leaders
        12. case study listing
      2. Aurora International
      3. Demystifying Finance
      4. Leadership Matters
      5. Women onto Boards
      6. Diversifying Leadership
        1. Sponsor Toolkit
        2. The Longitudinal Study
      7. BME Leadership in Higher Education Summit
      8. International Women's Day
        1. Our heroines
        2. 150 years of progress for women in higher education
    5. Governance
      1. Governor Development Programme
      2. Governance Professionals in HE
      3. Rethinking Governance
      4. Roundtable Discussions
      5. Self-Assessment Tool
      6. Governor Equality and Diversity Toolkit
      7. Women onto Boards
      8. Step onto the Board
      9. Governing Body Effectiveness
    6. Bespoke Programmes
      1. Programmes for Head of Department
        1. Leading Departments
        2. Head of Department
        3. Introduction to Head of Department
      2. Research Team Leadership
      3. Leading Teaching Teams
      4. Essentials of Leading Change
      5. Building Strategic Capability
      6. Unlocking Potential Through Performance Management
      7. Cultural Intelligence
      8. Working with Others
        1. Case Study: University College Cork
    7. Conferences and Events
      1. BME Leadership in Higher Education Summit
      2. Regional Events
      3. Outstanding Leadership & Management Team Award
      4. Talent Management Symposium
    8. Online Programmes
      1. Essentials of Budgeting
        1. Essentials of Budgeting: Module 1
        2. Essentials of Budgeting: Module 2
        3. Essentials of Budgeting: Module 3
        4. Essentials of Budgeting: Module 4
        5. Essentials of Budgeting: Module 5
        6. Essentials of Budgeting: Module 6
        7. Essentials of Budgeting: Frequently asked questions
    9. LF Fellowship
      1. Becoming an LF Fellow
      2. LF Fellowship FAQ's
      3. LF Fellow Directory
    10. The Prevent Agenda
      1. Prevent training materials e-learning module
    11. The Prospectus
  3. Consultancy
    1. Sector Wide Change
      1. Sector Wide Change Case Studies
        1. Evidence gathering
        2. Shared Services Review
    2. Institutional Transformation
      1. Governor Development and Governance Reviews
      2. Collaborations, Alliances and Mergers
      3. Working with Top Management Teams
      4. Evaluation and Impact
      5. In-house Change Academies
        1. Change Academy Case Studies
        2. Change Academy FAQs
      6. Institutional Transformation Case Studies
        1. New Model for Student Administration Services Review
        2. Supporting a student systems options review
        3. Strategic planning support
        4. Strategy Stocktake
    3. Teams and Individuals
      1. Teams and Individuals Case Studies
        1. Senior Leaders Succession Programme
        2. Academic Leaders Programme
        3. Leadership Development for Research Team Leaders
        4. Leading From the Front
      2. Coaching
        1. Executive Coaching
        2. Team Coaching
        3. Career Coaching Options
        4. Coaching Programmes
        5. Coaching Case Studies
      3. Unconscious Bias Workshops
    4. International Consultancy
      1. Bespoke (In-Country) Programmes
      2. International Partnership and Network Programmes
    5. Frequently Asked Questions
  4. Research
    1. Research and Innovation
      1. HE-context-and-landscape
      2. Global and cross-sector perspectives
      3. Culture, change and organisational development
      4. Governance, academic and financial risk
      5. Understanding leadership
      6. Equality, diversity and inclusion
      7. Identities, roles and careers
      8. Evolving organisational forms
      9. Developing leaders
    2. Research Hub
      1. Current Tenders
        1. SDP Call for Proposals 2019
        2. SDP Call for Proposals Development and Support for Women 2018
      2. Research in Progress
      3. 2018 Research
        1. Exploring the Impact of Coaching in Higher Education
      4. 2017 Research
        1. The impact of mergers, acquisitions and collaborations in Higher Education and other knowledge based sectors
        2. Talent Management: Learning Across Sectors
        3. Big data – disruptive, distracting or adding value?
        4. Encouraging disabled leaders in higher education: recognising hidden talents
        5. Increasing the Diversity of Senior Leaders in Higher Education: The Role of Executive Search Firms
      5. 2016 Research
        1. Onwards and Upwards? Tracking women's work experiences in higher education summary
        2. Onwards and Upwards? Tracking women's work experiences in higher education report
        3. The purpose of professors: professionalism, pressures and performance
        4. Leading Technology-Enhanced Learning in Higher Education: Summary
        5. Leading Technology-Enhanced Learning in Higher Education: Full Report
        6. Making the road while walking: Co-creation, teaching excellence and university leadership
        7. The Role of Prestige in UK Universities: Vice-Chancellors' Perspectives
        8. The Impact of Leadership and Leadership Development in Higher Education: A Review of the Literature and Evidence
        9. The Impact of Higher Education Leadership, Governance and Management Research - Full Report
        10. The Impact of Higher Education Leadership, Governance and Management Research - Summary
        11. Exploring the Impact of Coaching in Higher Education: a Provocation
      6. 2015 Research
        1. In the wings and backstage: exploring the micropolitics of leadership in higher education
        2. Developing and Sustaining Shared Leadership in Higher Education
        3. How can we make not break black and minority ethnic leaders in higher education?
        4. Religion in Britain: Challenges to Higher Education
        5. The Case for Growing STEMM Research Capacity in Wales
      7. 2014 Research
        1. Leading interdisciplinary Research transforming the academic landscape
        2. Exploring Student Leadership
        3. Gender and Higher Education Leadership
        4. Towards the family friendly university?
        5. The experience of BME academics in higher education: aspirations in the face of inequality
        6. Challenges for the leadership of transnational education in higher education: balancing risk and innovation
        7. The employability agenda and beyond: what are universities for?
        8. Governance in a changing environment: literature review
        9. Governance in a changing environment: thought piece
        10. The governance of private higher education providers in the UK
        11. Leading academic talent to a successful future: an international perspective
        12. Leading academic talent to a successful future: interviews with leaders, managers and academics
        13. Out in Orbit: strategies and trajectories for higher education satellite campuses
        14. Neo-collegiality: restoring academic engagement in the managerial university
        15. Trends in Governance: Universities in the Southern, African Development, Community
        16. Action Learning as a Tool for Change and Development: The Experience of Registrars and Senior Administrative Officers in Southern Africa
        17. Registrars and Senior Administrative Officers as Change Leaders in Southern African Universities
        18. The Changing Role of the University Registrar: Challenges and Prospects in Southern African Higher Education Institutions
        19. Report from the: Programme for University Leaders in the Southern African Region (PULSAR)
        20. Leading the Student Experience: Academic and Professional Services in Partnership
        21. A Complexity Approach to Leadership Development: Developing Practical Judgement
        22. Performance Management in UK Higher Education Institutions: The need for a hybrid approach
      8. 2013 Research
        1. Humanities Research Leadership in Europe
        2. Credit Risk? Reviving credit accumulation and transfer in UK higher education
        3. What do we know about: Collaborations and Partnerships in Higher Education
        4. Leadership of Practice Disciplines in Universities: The case of nurses and teachers
        5. Devolution and Higher Education: What next?
        6. Leadership for a better student experience: What do senior executives need to know?
        7. Horizon Scanning: what will higher education look like in 2020
        8. Leading interdisciplinarity: creating environments for success
        9. Using International Recruitment Agents: Risks and Regulation?
        10. Staffing Models and Institutional Flexibility
        11. Leading change in assessment and feedback
        12. Women and Higher Education Leadership: Absences and Aspirations
        13. Internationalising the curriculum: Design, delivery and depth
        14. Losing our Chains?
      9. 2012 Research
        1. What do we know about leadership in higher education?
        2. Leadership development within the UK higher education: its impact on organisational performance, and the role of evaluation
        3. The Future of English Higher Education: two scenarios on the changing landscape
        4. Disruptive Innovation and the higher education ecosystem post-2012
        5. Academic Leadership: Changing Conceptions, Identities and Experiences in UK Higher Education
        6. Leading the Student Experience: Super-Convergence of Organisation, Structure and Business Processes
        7. Leadership for Improved Academic Enterprise
        8. Leadership and Innovation Lessons from Professional Services Firms
        9. Leading Culturally Diverse Communities in Higher Education: A Self Assessment and Improvement Tool to Support Equality and Diversity Strategies Toolkit and Toolkit as Form
        10. Inequality and higher education: marketplace or social justice?
        11. Collaborations and Mergers in HE: Lessons Learned and Future Prospects
      10. 2011 Research
        1. Developing the whole student: leading higher education initiatives that integrate mind and heart
        2. A Review of Higher Education Collaborations Across Wales
        3. Higher Education Collaborations: Implications for Leadership, Management and Governance
        4. Enabling equality: furthering disability equality for staff in higher education
        5. A guide to offshore staffing strategies for UK universities
        6. Leadership and Management of International Partnerships
        7. A Framework for Identifying Governing Body Effectiveness in Higher Education
      11. 2010 Research
        1. Higher Education Futures: Key Themes and Implications for Leadership and Management
        2. Understanding Career Motivation in Higher Education, Analysis of Agregated Results from 2009 Benchmarking Study
        3. Conversations and Collaborations: The Leadership of Collaborative Projects between Higher Education and the Arts and Cultural Sector
        4. A Guide to Scenario Planning in Higher Education
      12. 2009 Research
        1. Baseline Study of Leadership Development in Higher Education 2009
        2. Diversity In Higher Education: Leadership Responsibilities and Challenges
        3. Mapping Leadership Development in Higher Education: A Global Study
        4. Departmental Leadership of Teaching in Research-Intensive Environments
        5. The Management of Academic Workloads: Improving Practice in the Sector
        6. The Role and Influence of the Secretary in UK Higher Education Governing Bodies
        7. Effective Leadership in Higher Education
        8. Governing bodies, equality and diversity A handbook for governors of higher education institutions
        9. What is an Effective and High Performing Governing Body in UK Higher Education?
      13. 2008 Research
        1. Professional Managers in UK Higher Education: Preparing for Complex Futures
        2. The Composition, Challenges and Changes in the Top Team Structures of UK Higher Education Institutions
        3. The Characteristics, Roles and Selection of Vice-Chancellors
        4. Developing Collective Leadership in Higher Education
      14. 2007 Research
        1. Human Resource Management and University Performance
        2. UK Universities and Executive Officers: The Changing Role of Pro-Vice-Chancellors
        3. Effective Leadership in Higher Education
        4. The Management of Academic Workloads
        5. Higher Education Leadership of Regional and Local Regeneration Partnerships: Learning from good practice
      15. Research Order Form
      16. Small Development Projects
        1. Small Development Projects 2018
        2. Small Development Projects 2017
        3. Small Development Projects 2016
        4. Small Development Projects 2015
        5. Small Development Projects 2014
        6. Small Development Projects 2013
        7. Small Development Projects 2012
        8. Small Development Projects 2011
        9. Small Development Projects 2010
        10. Small Development Projects 2008-09
        11. Advice from Previous SDP Leaders
      17. ITF Projects
        1. ITF-2016 Phase 3
        2. ITF 2014 Phase 2
        3. ITF 2012 Phase 1
        4. Case Studies
        5. What they say about the Innovation and Transformation Fund
    3. Publications Hub
      1. Research Leader's Impact Toolkit Publications
      2. Getting to Grips
      3. Let's Talk Value
      4. HELMs
        1. Leading higher education
        2. Motivating and developing leaders
        3. Leadership and work-life balance
        4. Governors' views of their institutions, leadership and governance
      5. Leadership Insights
      6. Management Development Resources
      7. Reports and Reviews
        1. Researching and Scoping a Higher Education and Civic Leadership Development Programme
      8. ENGAGE Past Editions
        1. ENGAGE 38 - summer 2015
        2. ENGAGE 37 - spring 2015
        3. ENGAGE 36 - autumn 2014
        4. ENGAGE 35 - summer 2014
        5. ENGAGE 34 - spring 2014
        6. ENGAGE 33 - autumn 2013
        7. ENGAGE 32 - summer 2013
        8. Engage Unlimited
        9. Engage 2 Book Review
    4. Resource Hub
      1. Integrated Thinking & Reporting
        1. Information and resources
        2. Relevant Factors and Characteristics
        3. Let's talk value
      2. Diversity
        1. Strategy
        2. Key Leadership and Diversity Projects
        3. Equality Legislation
        4. Diversity Advisory Group
        5. Diversity talks
      3. Research Outcomes
        1. Research Leader's Impact Toolkit
        2. The Self Assessment Toolkit
      4. Changing the Learning Landscape
        1. Impact
        2. Partners
        3. Interactive Toolkit
      5. Organisational Development
        1. OD Mapping Project
      6. Case Studies
      7. LGM Fund Outcomes
      8. Succession Management
        1. What is it?
        2. Why do it?
        3. How it's done
        4. Tools
  5. Governance
    1. Governors
      1. Becoming a governor
      2. What is governance?
      3. Governor responsibilities
        1. Academic governance and quality
        2. Compliance and regulation
        3. Commercial operations
        4. International students and developments
        5. Risk management
        6. Students
        7. Strategic plans
        8. Monitoring performance
    2. Governing bodies
      1. Audit Committee
      2. Nominations committee
      3. Remuneration
      4. Employment
      5. Finance
      6. Estates
    3. Operating context
    4. Academic Governance
      1. Enablers
      2. Case Studies
        1. Arts University Bournemouth
        2. City University
        3. King's College London
        4. University of Leicester
        5. University of Salford
        6. University of the West of England
        7. Queen's University Belfast
        8. Ulster University
        9. Cardiff University
        10. University of South Wales
        11. University of Wales Trinity Saint David
        12. Mid-Kent College
        13. Newcastle College Group
        14. Belfast Metropolitan College
        15. Grwp NPTC
      3. New Governors
        1. New Governors - Key Terms
        2. New Governors - Key Organisations
        3. New Governors - Quality, Standards & Enhancements
        4. New Governors - Academic Assurance
        5. New Governors - Other Key Terms
      4. Practical Advice
      5. Have your say
    5. Resource bank
      1. Features
      2. Governance News
      3. Previous news alerts
        1. Alternative providers and student debt in the US: could it happen in the UK?
        2. Is institutional autonomy under threat?
        3. Managing the board
        4. OECD Report suggests some higher education students lack basic skills
        5. Five issues for HEI governing bodies
        6. Whistleblowing and gagging clauses
        7. The failure of HBOS
        8. Financial forecasts for English HEIs
        9. Governance changes proposed in the HE Green paper
        10. FEHE SORP 2015 Donations & Endowments
        11. Board diversity - the Davis Review
        12. Information systems and cyber security
        13. Does a change in leadership lead to a change in strategy?
        14. FIFA and corporate governance
        15. Volkswagen
        16. Sustainability
        17. Review of governance at Plymouth University
        18. Equality and diversity and governing bodies
        19. A Changing Agenda
        20. Role and effectiveness of audit committees
        21. Governance of Scottish Higher Education Institutions: Consulative Paper on HE Bill
        22. Governance issues at Tesco
        23. Student visas
        24. Governance at the Co-op
        25. HE funding - IFS report
        26. Removal of student number control
        27. Governance issues in the private sector
        28. Governance at the BBC
        29. Reforms to how higher education in England is regulated
        30. HBOS & London Met: case studies in governance
        31. New IPPR report on HE
        32. Moocs are coming
        33. Increasing diversity
        34. Kids Company
      4. Getting-to-grips
      5. Governance publications
      6. Useful websites
      7. Codes of governance
        1. CUC Code of Governance
        2. UK Corporate Governance Code
      8. Research on governance in higher education
      9. Book reviews
      10. HE facts
      11. Illustrative Practice Notes
      12. Roundtable notes
        1. Governance events notes
    6. Governance Briefing Notes
      1. 27. Governing bodies and culture
      2. 26. The new regulatory approach to HE in England
      3. 25. The factors that influence whether governance is effective?
      4. 24. Benefits and impact
      5. 23. Competitive pressures
      6. 22. Corporate ethics and values
      7. 21. Personal ethics and values
      8. 20. Legal requirements and regulation
      9. 19. Estates
      10. 18. Finance
      11. 17. Employment
      12. 16. Remuneration
      13. 15. Nominations committee
      14. 14. Audit committee
      15. 13. The governance system and assessing effectiveness
      16. 12. Size, composition and skills available to the governing body
      17. 11. Monitoring performance
      18. 10. Strategic plan
      19. 09. Students
      20. 08. Risk management
      21. 07. International students and collaborations
      22. 06. Commercial operations
      23. 05. Regulations and compliance
      24. 04. Academic governance and quality
      25. 03. The workings of a governing body
      26. 02. Governance and management
      27. 01. Becoming a governor
    7. Equality and Diversity Toolkit
      1. Overview
      2. Overseeing compliance
        1. The Equality Act 2010
        2. Governance Codes
        3. Overseeing E&D
        4. Reports Governors might use
        5. Case study: Bath
        6. Championing E&D
        7. Case study: ManMet
        8. Case study: Cardiff
      3. Competitive Advantage
        1. Competing in a global market
        2. Improving staff diversity
        3. Case study: Exeter
      4. Issues and Challenges
        1. Student inequalities
        2. Staff inequalities
        3. Assessing specific E&D issues
      5. Value
        1. Increasing focus
        2. Gender diversity data
        3. Improving diversity
        4. Case study 1: UWS
        5. Case study 2: UWS
      6. Questions and Resources
        1. Resources
    8. Board Diversification
    9. Self-Assessment Tool
    10. Governing Body Effectiveness
    11. Governor Dialogues
    12. Governance and Alternative Providers
  6. International
    1. International Engagement
    2. International Reference Group
    3. International Case Studies
  7. Membership
    1. Membership benefits and services
      1. Membership logos
        1. Download the membership logos
    2. How to join
    3. National and regional contacts
      1. Abbie McKenna
      2. Cindy Vallance
      3. Gary Reed
      4. Jean Chandler
      5. Judy Harris
      6. Lesly Huxley
      7. Meriel Box
      8. Rebecca Bull
    4. Membership advisory group
    5. Membership development support
    6. Management Development Resources
      1. Download MDR1: Managing Effective Performance
      2. Download MDR2: Managing Change in HE
      3. Download MDR3: Emotional Intelligence, Personal Impact and Personal Effectiveness
      4. Download MDR4: Lean Management: Doing more with less
      5. Download MDR5: The Current HE Context: Drivers for change
      6. Download MDR6: Commercial Skills for Academics and Researchers
      7. MDR7: Caught in the Middle
        1. MDR7 Contents
        2. Download MDR7: Caught in the Middle
      8. Download MDR8: Working with Academic Motivation and Prestige
    7. Knowledge Bank
    8. Membership community
      1. Members' Directory
    9. Ten great reasons to be a Leadership Foundation member
      1. #10GreatReasons1
      2. #10GreatReasons2
      3. #10GreatReasons3
      4. #10GreatReasons4
      5. #10GreatReasons5
      6. #10GreatReasons6
      7. #10GreatReasons7
      8. #10GreatReasons8
      9. #10GreatReasons9
      10. #10GreatReasons10
  8. News
    1. Twitter
Welcome...

We are a membership organisation of and for a sector that has some of the brightest minds in the UK.

 

Our members are key to our strategy and form a community of higher education institutions with a clear commitment to and experience of developing leadership, governance and management capabilities at all levels. Academic and professional services staff from member institutions contribute to our programmes, projects and research and advise on benefits and services.

 

Find out more about Membership

 

  • Membership benefits

    • 25% discount on our open and in-house programmes and consultancy
    • a free consultancy day
    • exclusive access to research publications, development resources and funding opportunities
    • free regional events
    • funding for Staff Development Forum and MASHEIN activity
    • members’ mailing lists, newsletters and magazine
    • participation in our development networks

    More…

  • How to join

    • Membership is open to all higher education providers and related sector organisations on an annual or three-yearly subscription basis.
    • We have 154 members with around a third taking advantage of the 10% discount offered by three-year subscriptions.

    More…

  • Membership benefits

    • Research and innovation: Access to our latest, highly-valued research, Leadership Insights, Getting to Grips series and practical development project resources.

      • More…

    • Management Development Resources: Flexible workshop materials on key leadership and management development topics, for you to deliver in-house to suit your own contexts NEW: ‘Caught in the Middle’. 

      • More…

    • The Knowledge Bank: Save time with these extensive multi-media training resources for HR, staff development and OD professionals, covering key leadership and management theory and practice.

      • More…

  • Get in touch

    Meet the membership team, your national and regional contacts in the UK and Ireland, and LF networks.

Pages in this section

You are:

Quick Links

Connect with us

Connect with us

  1. Follow us on Twitter
  2. Like us on Facebook
  3. Join us on LinkedIn
  4. Connect with us
Text size: A A A Print page:

Advance HE
Leadership, Governance and Management
Peer House, 8-14 Verulam Street
London WC1X 8LZ

T: 020 3468 4810     F: 020 3468 4811

Text size: A A A
Use of Cookies

This website uses cookies. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.  Find out more here.

close