The ancient system of classing degrees as firsts, upper or lower seconds, or thirds needs to be updated or changed, the university funding body says today.

Classes of degrees could be accompanied or even replaced by a certificate giving the points scored by graduates. The current bands are too vague and should be refined, according to a report commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce).

Two thirds of students graduate with a first or 2:1, raising questions about dumbing down and whether it is possible to compare the relative merit of degrees.

Employers — and recently a committee of MPs — have complained that it is hard to distinguish between the achievements of graduates, and to tell whether similar qualifications from different universities are of the same value.

Hefce asked a group of experts, chaired by Professor Colin Riordan, the vice-chancellor of Essex University, to investigate concerns about quality and standards in higher education.

The review recommends improving the degree classification system so that it “better reflects student achievement throughout their course”.

An alternative way of rating degrees by points is being tried out at 15 universities, running alongside the traditional banding. Such a system operates in America. Under what is known as the grade point average system, a 1.0 is poor, a 2.0 is satisfactory, a 3.0 is good and a 4.0 is excellent.

The report also suggests that universities should provide more information to prospective students and parents, and that the quality of external examiners — who help to ensure degree standards — should be reviewed.

Professor Riordan said: “We have not identified any outright failure in the quality of English higher education but there are changes that need to be made.

“We have identified a number of issues for consideration. We are clear that higher education cannot afford to be complacent on quality and standards.”

Students are not given enough feedback at some universities, nor enough information beforehand about how many teaching hours they will have.

A recent report by MPs on the Innovation, Universities and Skills Select Committee criticised degree marking and questioned whether there was parity between different universities.

Hefce denied that there was a problem, but admitted that external examiners, who come in from other universities to ensure that marks are fair, are not a sufficient check on standards.

It said: “They aim to compare the standards on the degree they are examining with the standards of other similar degrees. However, their ability to do this is limited because they have experience only of a few institutions and courses, and there are more and more students producing work for them to look at.

“So they cannot guarantee comparability at a national level.”

Hefce announced that it would commission a full review of the external examiner system to address such concerns.

Professor Steve Smith, president of Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, said: “Quality costs, and needs investment. At this time of pressure on public funding, we are concerned that the quality of the student experience will come under increasing pressure unless we can find a way to resource better our teaching activity.

“We are also keen to avoid increasing bureaucracy, as this would divert funding from front-line teaching, learning and research.”

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union, said: “It is unacceptable that external examiners, who are vital to maintaining standards, are treated so poorly by institutions.

“Unfortunately, the current financial and professional rewards remain unattractive and unless the forthcoming review of external examining recommends improved conditions, we will continue to struggle to attract more examiners.

“We can talk about improving quality until we are blue in the face but how can we hope to achieve this while job cuts are being made across the sector?”

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