England’s higher education regulator has promised universities a “no surprises” approach to regulation following its High Court defeat against the University of Sussex.
In a report setting out the “lessons learned” from the judicial review – called after the regulator tried to fine the university over free speech breaches – the Office for Students said it would “engage early, communicate openly and use enforcement only where the OfS considers that it is necessary” under its new approach.
“We made mistakes in the University of Sussex case, and we regret this. We did not therefore appeal the judgment; instead, we promised to consider its findings with honesty and humility, so that they could inform our future approach to regulation,” say the OfS chair Edward Peck and chief executives Ruth Hannant and Polly Payne in a foreword.
“We were already making changes in response to the lessons from the House of Lords and Behan Reviews, seen in our new strategy, but the judgment prompted further reflection and change.”
The report comes days after the regulator launched its new freedom of speech complaints scheme.
