Bradford College works with the OfS to address concerns about the quality of computing courses
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[The Office for Students (OfS) has published a case report that explains its regulatory decisions following an investigation into the quality of BSc computing courses delivered by Bradford College and leading to qualifications awarded by the University of Greater Manchester.]]>
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[New freedom of speech guidance includes examples of how universities and colleges might best respond to a range of scenarios.]]>
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[We plan to accept new applications from 28 August 2025, with priority for assessment given to institutions with existing applications that were paused last year.]]>
OfS publishes new data on Prevent
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[New Office for Students (OfS) data finds the number of events or external speakers approved by universities and colleges increased from 39,475 in 2022-23 to 42,440 in 2023-24, with an accompanying rise in the number of events approved with conditions put in place.]]>
De-designation of courses at Brit College
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[Students at Brit College have been told that their higher education courses will be no longer be designated by the Department for Education from 4 June 2025. ]]>
OfS seeks views on regional access partnerships
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[Our new call for evidence is seeking views on how best to develop regional access partnerships to address risks to equality of opportunity in higher education.]]>
OfS responds to national review of higher education student suicide deaths
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[A report published by the Department for Education has set out a series of recommendations to support students and prevent suicide. ]]>
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[The Office for Students (OfS) has imposed a monetary penalty of £115,000 on Leeds Trinity University (LTU) after an investigation in respect of the period from October 2022 to February 2024 identified that the university did not have effective arrangements in place to respond to rapid gr
OfS announces the members of its new Student Interest Board
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[The Student Interest Board will advise the Office for Students’ (OfS) board, inform policy development, help the OfS to understand students’ perspectives, and challenge it to act in their interests.]]>
OfS receives funding guidance for 2025-26
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[The Office for Students (OfS) has received guidance from the government which sets out the Strategic Priorities Grant funding available for distribution in 2025-26. ]]>
OfS analysis finds continued pressure on university finances
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[The OfS’s annual financial sustainability report shows that the financial performance of universities and colleges is forecast to decline in 2024-25 for the third consecutive year. ]]>
Trading Standards referral leads to changed terms in student contract at higher education provider
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[The London School of Science and Technology (LSST) has amended its student contract after the Office for Students (OfS) referred concerns about potentially unfair terms and conditions to National Trading Standards.]]>
Changes to transnational education and partnership data collection
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[Our revised approach to transnational education (TNE) and partnerships data collection will now collect data using the expanded aggregate offshore record (AOR), pause the implementation of individualised records for TNE students, and ask institutions with new award-only partnerships to s
Applied Business Academy: investigation finds serious concerns
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[Only six per cent of student placements offered as part of Applied Business Academy’s (ABA) Diploma in Education and Teaching course were suitable, an Office for Students (OfS) investigation has found. ]]>
University of Sussex fined £585,000 for free speech and governance breaches
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[The Office for Students (OfS) has fined the University of Sussex £585,000 after an investigation found the university’s governing documents failed to uphold freedom of speech and academic freedom, as well as failings in the university’s management and governance processes. ]]>
Sunday Times franchising investigation – media response
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[The OfS has responded to a Sunday Times investigation into subcontracted higher education provision.]]>
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[Applications will be accepted in August 2025, with priority for assessment given to institutions with existing applications that were paused last year. ]]>
Preferred candidate for OfS chair
style="text-indent: 2em; "<![CDATA[The Department for Education has announced that Professor Edward Peck is the government’s preferred candidate to be the new chair of the Office for Students (OfS). ]]>
