Response to OfS quality & standards consultation

04 October 2021

We welcome the opportunity to respond to this Office for Students (OfS) consultation and look forward to continuing our engagement as the OfS develops its approach to quality and standards.

We support the OfS’ commitment to principles-based and risk-based regulation as per the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, which if fulfilled, will better enable the OfS to deliver against their ambition, and the ambition of the Government, to reduce unnecessary bureaucratic burden. We encourage the OfS to ensure the commitment to this approach runs right the way through its operations, requirements and communications so this intention can be translated into reality.

Our response includes a series of recommendations which we ask the OfS to consider as it develops its approach, including for the OfS to:
(a) avoid unintended consequences of removing reference to the Quality Code on the sector’s international reputation and comparability of standards across the UK.
(b) encourage providers to undertake enhancement activities in relation to quality and continue to engage with the Designated Quality Body to promote and incentivise this.
(c) conduct an impact assessment on extending its remit to transnational education activities and clearly set out how it would use contextual information when investigating providers operating overseas.
(d) engage with the academic community when making decisions about compliance through already existing frameworks established by the Designated Quality Body rather than duplicating efforts in this space.
(e) work with the sector to develop a better understanding of the pedagogical benefits of digital teaching and learning to ensure regulatory requirements pose no barrier to innovation and enhancement.

Read the full response here: