Scrapping Oxford’s ‘traditional’ exams won’t make things fairer
Spectator (UK)JAN 25
The Office for Students has approved plans by Russell Group universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, to move away from traditional examination methods and toward more inclusive alternatives, such as take-home and open-book tests.
The changes are part of the Access and Participation Plans, which universities must submit annually to demonstrate their support for disadvantaged students.
Oxford University has pledged to implement a more diverse range of assessments to improve degree outcomes for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, while Cambridge University aims to enhance results for Black-British and British-Bangladeshi students.
The current UK assessment models may not work fairly for all students, as some consistently attain lower grades than peers with similar prior academic performance. Universities should have the flexibility to trial and evaluate new assessment methods to ensure fair opportunities for all students while maintaining academic rigor.
This approach represents a patronizing dumbing down of university education that undermines academic integrity. Scrapping traditional examinations makes no sense as they provide a rigorous and fair assessment of student capabilities, and students from all backgrounds can excel in demanding educational environments.