The Office for Students (OfS) will not appeal a landmark ruling that found it acted beyond its powers in fining the University of Sussex for alleged breaches of free speech and academic freedom.
The High Court ruled in April that the English higher education regulator was wrong to have imposed a £585,000 fine on the university following its investigation into circumstances surrounding the departure of gender-critical academic Kathleen Stock.
The OfS announced on 19 May that it would not seek to appeal the court’s judgment, which found in favour of the university on five counts and overturned the regulator’s decision that Sussex had failed to protect free speech.
“We believe that prolonging litigation in this case would not be in the best interests of students or the higher education sector,” said OfS chair Edward Peck.
“We want to focus on the future, learn lessons from the judgment, and work constructively with the sector as we continue our important work to protect and promote free speech on campus.”
