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The Latest Breaking News from OFS

US controversy points to tests facing UK universities free speech tsar

Arif Ahmed will face a balancing act when his position – that legal speech gets protected – runs into messy reality

The Guardian - UK

Students can make provocative remarks if they do not break law, watchdog says

Arif Ahmed of OfS says universities that infringe rights to expression will face fines under new system

The Guardian - UK

England’s university free speech tsar says role is not to conduct ‘culture wars’

Arif Ahmed pledges to remain politically neutral in his role and to ensure academic freedoms are maintained

The Guardian - UK

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Widespread concern many in higher education being silenced – free speech chief

Professor Arif Ahmed said being shocked and offended is an ‘important part of education’.

The Independent UK

Sustained rift with China would harm UK universities, report warns

KCL study finds many leading UK institutions remain highly dependent on Chinese students

The Guardian - UK

Universities watchdog failing to meet students’ needs and ‘not trusted’ by many

A report has accused the Office for Students – whose chair is a Tory peer – of lacking independence from the Government.

The Independent UK

New freedom-of-speech chief for universities says post ‘not political’

Professor Arif Ahmed was speaking at the Universities UK annual conference in Manchester.

The Independent UK

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Almost nine in 10 students in England feel free to express their views – survey

Concerns that ‘cancel culture’ is blighting universities appear unfounded, according to OfS report

The Guardian - UK

Grade inflation at English universities falls for first time in a decade

Some 32.8% of students were awarded a first class degree in 2021/22, a drop of 4.6% on the year before.

The Independent UK

Universities ‘taking advantage’ of students with rip-off courses, says Sunak

‘You you don’t have to go to university to suceed’, says PM – accused by Labour of attacking aspiration

The Independent UK

PM: Numbers cap will end students being taken advantage of with rip-off courses

Rishi Sunak said the key message of his plan is: ‘You don’t have to go to university to succeed in life.’

The Independent UK

'Attack on aspirations': Rishi Sunak to crack down on 'low value' university degrees

RISHI Sunak has announced plans to crack down on the number of students undertaking “low value” degrees which don’t lead to employment.

The National (Scotland)

New Construction Skills Centre for Nottingham College

It will eventually allow up to 1,000 young people to access construction training and qualifications every year

Birmingham Post

England’s ‘free speech tsar’ named in announcement to one newspaper

Government accused of paying ‘lip service’ to free speech as Arif Ahmed is given higher education role

The Guardian - UK

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The Guardian - UK

If you defend free speech, you must defend it all and not silence those you disagree with

Ministers trumpet their law against ‘no-platforming’ in universities, but that doesn’t stop them disinviting critics from their own conferences

The Independent UK

One in six students at English universities taught overseas – watchdog

Some overseas partner institutions prioritise student numbers over quality, a report by the higher education regulator suggests.

The Independent UK

English universities ‘at risk’ due to over-reliance on fees from Chinese students, watchdog warns

The Office of Students has written to institutions with high levels of student recruitment from China to ensure they have contingency plans in place

The Guardian - UK

English universities warned not to over-rely on fees of students from China

Higher education regulator asks 23 institutions for contingency plans in case of sudden interruption of income

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news in one place.

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The Independent UK

Universities’ over-reliance on fees from Chinese students is ‘a risk’ – watchdog

The Office of Students has written to institutions with high levels of student recruitment from China to ensure they have contingency plans in place.

The Independent UK

Universities and colleges face investigations over grade inflation – watchdog

There is a risk that if large numbers of students are handed top degrees it ‘could be seen to devalue the award’, Office for Students chairman said.

Evening Standard

Universities urged to have the ‘cojones’ to stand up for themselves on free speech and sexual misconduct

Former education secretary said universities can deal with grade inflation, sexual misconduct, mental health and freedom of speech themselves

Evening Standard

University student-staff relationships could be banned under new proposals

Watchdog says staff could be banned from, or forced to declare, ‘personal relationships’ with students

The Independent UK

Universities may face sanctions if staff-student relationships are not disclosed

Academics who refuse to report personal relationships with their students should be dismissed, the universities watchdog has proposed.

The Independent UK

Rise in number of antisemitic incidents at universities reported to charity

The increase comes as an independent investigation revealed Jewish students have faced a ‘hostile’ culture within the National Union of Students.

The Guardian - UK

Higher education regulator to make freedom of speech priority next year

OfS expected to gain new powers to regulate freedom of speech issues in England

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