Our members are committed to delivering high-quality education and ensuring that students are treated fairly, transparently, and in line with consumer protection law.
Background
We support the Office for Students’ (OfS) objective of ensuring that students are treated fairly throughout their higher education journey. The principle of treating students fairly is a reasonable expectation, and we welcome efforts to simplify and streamline the regulatory framework by bringing together existing requirements into a clearer and more coherent approach. We also support the aim of improving transparency and ensuring students have access to the information they need to make informed decisions.
However, we are concerned that several aspects of the proposals risk creating a higher regulatory threshold than that established through legislation.
Summary
We support the introduction of a principles-based requirement for providers to treat students fairly and welcome a clearer and more streamlined regulatory framework.
However, the OfS should not seek to establish a higher regulatory standard than that required by existing consumer protection legislation.
The condition should apply only to ancillary services that are integral to admissions or students’ educational experience, and only where providers can reasonably oversee and influence delivery.
We support the proposal to move away from Student Protection Plans.
We do not believe that the proposed phased implementation approach is workable. OfS should allow sufficient time for providers to review policies, governance arrangements and student-facing processes, and for supporting guidance and sector good practice to be developed before enforcement begins.
