The OfS investigation began after Kathleen Stock’s resignation, following campus protests for her views on transgender rights and gender identity. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian View image in fullscreen The OfS investigation began after Kathleen Stock’s resignation, following campus protests for her views on transgender rights and gender identity. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian Higher education Higher education regulator apologises for imposing £585,000 fine on university Office for Students made decision to punish University of Sussex with fine last year after claiming it breached free speech regulations
Prefer the Guardian on Google England’s higher education regulator has apologised for a string of mistakes in its decision to punish the University of Sussex with a record fine that was later overturned by the high court.
The Office for Students (OfS) tried to impose a £585,000 fine against Sussex last year after claiming the university breached free speech regulations involving its former professor Kathleen Stock. It was forced to back down in April after a judicial review initiated by Sussex found the OfS “had closed its mind” and acted with bias.
Read more In a statement, the regulator said: “The OfS made mistakes in the Sussex case, which we regret. The actions we are announcing today show our continuing commitment to learning the lessons from this case with humility and honesty.”
Among the changes promised by the OfS in a “lessons learned” report were “ensuring respectful relationships with higher education providers” and in the future using “alternative forms of intervention where possible to effect change” before taking enforcement action such as fines.
Prof Sasha Roseneil, Sussex’s vice-chancellor, said she welcomed the OfS’s acknowledgement of its mistakes but was concerned that its plans for reform “fell short” in a number of areas.
Roseneil said: “[The report] reveals deep cultural problems within the OfS in relation to freedom of expression and internal challenge, and it is heartening to see the new leadership setting different expectations for the organisation, expectations that are more appropriate for a public institution, trusted to regulate one of the most important sectors in a democratic society.
“However, the report does not fully reflect the breadth or the seriousness of the high court’s findings or all the lessons that could be learned from the case.
View image in fullscreen Sasha Roseneil. “It is also disappointing that the review missed the opportunity to engage with the University of Sussex when their lack of engagement was roundly criticised by the high court.”
The high court’s findings were backed up by an internal review by KPMG commissioned by the OfS, published in summary on Thursday. KPMG’s findings criticised the regulator for being adversarial, allowing gaps in its written records, and lacking clear accountability.
“It appears that insufficient emphasis was placed on maintaining constructive engagement and dialogue with higher education providers, which contributed to relationships becoming increasingly adversarial,” according to the review’s summary.
View image in fullscreen Kathleen Stock. KPMG also criticised the OfS’s leadership at the time for becoming blinkered: “The investigation team was made up of particularly senior staff, reflecting the case’s novelty, complexity and profile.
“However, the concentration of decision making and delivery responsibilities within a rela…