In a report on improving quality assurance in higher education, University Alliance, which represents 22 mainly post-1992 universities, said more checks were needed on alternative providers, which are set to receive about ?900 million in student support this year ¨C a nine-fold increase on 2011-12.

The report, titled How do we ensure quality in an expanding higher education system?, published on 21 May, says there has been ¡°especially rapid growth among alternative providers of Higher National Diplomas (HNDs), many of whom have relatively short track-records in working within the UK higher education quality assurance system and do not have links with degree awarding bodies¡±.

In addition, ¡°there is almost no comparable information about these providers¡¯ satisfaction, retention or employability rates¡±, the report adds.

The large majority of private providers did not provide their students with access to an external complaints moderator, such as the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, a service mandatory for all public universities, it adds.

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The sector should ¡°move with all speed towards a parity of information from different providers¡±, the report says.

Without information from private providers, ¡°we risk compromising quality assurance and enhancement, as well as effective student choice¡±, it says.

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It also calls on the government in power after the 2015 general election to introduce a higher education bill ¡°as soon as possible¡±, advocating the creation of a single regulatory body for all higher education providers in England.

It also advises that ¡°the sector as a whole needs to continue to plan for institutional and programme failure and how these will be managed, in order to protect the interests of students¡±.

However, it cautions against ¡°centrally-imposed minimum entry requirements¡± when the student numbers cap is lifted in 2015-16 ¨C a change that is likely to lead to an extra 60,000 students entering the system, according to Treasury estimates.

Libby Hackett, chief executive of University Alliance, said there would be ¡°a more diverse and expanding system after 2015-16 when student number controls are removed¡±, but the sector¡¯s reputation must be protected via tighter quality controls.

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¡°We need to be thoughtful and careful in safeguarding the reputation of UK higher education¡± when higher education was becoming more global, she said.

Regulation must be ¡°fit for purpose and suitable for a rapidly changing world¡±, she added, saying the report ¡°provides some possible solutions¡±.

Madeleine Atkins, chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, said the report was ¡°timely¡± and ¡°touches on a number of matters high on the Hefce agenda¡±.

¡°We have long been clear - as lead regulator - that only legislation can solve some of the deeper-seated regulatory issues facing English higher education,¡± Professor Atkins said.

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Hefce had been asked by the government to ¡°develop mechanisms to assure the quality of the student experience when student number controls are removed¡±, as well as ¡°examine how students might be better protected in the event of untoward disruption to their studies,¡± she added.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com