Office for Students (OfS)
Institutions required to publish information on complaints, refunds and compensation under latest OfS proposals
Former Department for Education directors will assume the post as a job-share partnership in June
Financial challenges and lack of work experience identified as key barriers for graduates hoping to progress to further study or employment
Political statements by management may appear to be viewpoint of institution, warns university free speech tsar
Private provider withdraws from OfS registration process as regulator criticises its plans to offer ‘master’s degrees’
Universities told to adjust to new attitudes on HE expansion, as figures show boom in new entrants who have few to no qualifications
We discuss why the University of Sussex is challenging the OfS in court and what it could mean for freedom of speech, institutional autonomy and the role of the regulator
Court documents show Kathleen Stock feared ‘chilling effect’ of university trans policy as she was ‘never assured’ she would not face disciplinary action as a result of contravening it
OfS investigation finds students at provider delivering franchised degrees also told how to avoid detection by plagiarism software
Cost-cutting measures impacting student experience, finds OfS polling, with increased class sizes and reduced access to facilities among issues raised
Most low-performing English students will not repay loans, argues campaigner, who says more needs to be done to educate people about system
Senior leaders selected to help guide higher education watchdog as it attempts to work more collaboratively with sector
Leaders face grilling from free speech director amid concerns about Chinese government-backed scholarships
Government thought to want someone who can move English regulator away from ‘highly politicised’ past as applications open for new leader
English regulator warns multiple unnamed universities may have breached consumer protection legislation
Institutions warn delays after reopening of English sector registrations are jeopardising their financial sustainability
Analysis shows that one provider has increased its number of subcontracted students by 500 per cent
Chief executive becomes latest to depart English regulator after nearly four years in charge
Edward Peck insinuates risks of breaching rules when collaborating across sector aren’t as high as widely perceived
Research into impact of higher education policy changes hard to find and not always utilised by politicians, report finds
Regulator announces it is probing governance arrangements at under-pressure institution
English regulator proposes exemption to participation, financial and governance conditions for some providers ahead of expected expansion of sector
Body mirrored on one being set up to oversee nuclear power could help universities avoid ‘excessive’ bureaucracy, according to Nigel Thrift
New modelling suggests one in six English higher education institutions will have less than 30 days’ liquidity in 2025-26
Universities complaining about over-regulation should stop committing ‘own goals’ with franchising and grade inflation, says new OfS chair who believes Labour reforms can pave way to stronger sector
Regulator indicates it will act when financial pressures impact student choice and ‘supply of critical skills’
Birmingham professor to temporarily oversee access and participation at English regulator following departure of John Blake
Former teacher steps down after one term, having overseen revamp in widening participation efforts
Two London universities deemed to have breached new rules on safeguarding qualifications as regulator sounds alarm over how degree classifications are calculated
Splitting up degree programmes into smaller parts could aid lifelong learning but students risk being seen as dropouts under current system
Government commits to raising tuition fees and maintenance loans, with universities expected to deliver higher-quality teaching and more specialised research in return
Higher education institutions could be penalised if they offer courses deemed subpar as universities await Labour’s reform plans
Schools coming under ‘intense pressure’ to enrol students as universities become ever more reliant on cross-subsidy
Threat to academic freedom from secret recordings of seminars being passed to state governments must be taken seriously, says Office for Students free speech lead
Regulator says universities should only enter partnerships when they are satisfied that teaching and support standards will be maintained
OfS and UKRI seen as particularly vulnerable to meddling from government, with report authors calling for more safeguards to ensure independence
Concerns raised over proposals that would allow the OfS to halt payments to franchised providers without investigation
Sussex v-c says media attacks motivated by view that fewer people should obtain a degree
Women’s negative experiences of reporting reflective of wider barriers, with problems likely to be exacerbated by funding crisis
‘Shocking figures’ show ‘devastating’ impact on students, with women and LGB people particularly vulnerable
Revamped version of quality benchmark scheme will force more higher education providers to participate and punish those with lower ratings
Reversing some recent trends in teaching and learning is sure to generate mixed responses from students. Regulators must step in, says Ian Pace
Regulator wants vice-chancellors to advise on policy as part of new chair’s attempts to build better relationship with sector
Incoming conditions require institutions hoping to access student loan funding to be upfront about course changes and compensation processes
Calls for regulator action as no universities voluntarily sign up to scheme that aims to prevent ‘passing the perpetrator’
If the UK has decided it can no longer afford the sub-Oxbridge university model, expectations need to be systematically lowered, says Robert Dingwall
Regulator to examine quality controls at institution delivering degrees of UK’s biggest franchise university
No incentive for wealthy institutions to support initiatives such as bespoke clearing scheme, experts fear, as policymakers face hurdles in developing process for market exits
Regulator reviewing processes after administrative mix-up weeks before applications set to reopen
Liverpool Hope and Manchester to provide support as Spurgeon’s College shuts after nearly 170 years
Institutions including Liverpool and Southampton to continue to ‘discourage’, rather than prohibit, staff-student relationships despite new regulations, as others opt for partial bans
Increased fees will be hard to swallow but we are working hard to reduce the regulatory burden, says Susan Lapworth
Office for Students (OfS) proposes to create new condition of registration as some partnerships ‘still being mismanaged’
Several student protection directions active in last financial year, with 71 institutions subjected to formal monitoring
Students more positive on all aspects of university life than last year, but regulator flags management problems at some institutions
Regulator tells universities it will not discourage diversity initiatives but says they must be run in accordance with free speech duties
The beefed up document could temper the influence of anti-rational ideologies and restore public trust in academia, say Ian Pace and Abhishek Saha
Universities warned against restricting lawful speech as one in three academics claim they are scared of discussing controversial subjects
Regulator to reopen to new applications after heavily criticised eight-month pause
Courses at Brit College de-designated as investigation into quality concerns continues
