Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Accepted
Implement and robustly enforce the OfS's new condition protecting students from harassment and misconduct.
Recommendation
Too often in the past, institutions have put protecting their reputations ahead of a duty of care for their students. The OfS’s proposals for potential loss of funding and/or accreditation should help challenge that mindset. We urge the OfS to implement the new condition as swiftly as possible and to enforce it robustly. (Recommendation, Paragraph 76)
Government Response Summary
The government confirms that the Office for Students' proposed ban on non-disclosure agreements in sexual misconduct cases is consistent with the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which includes such a ban and takes effect on 1 August 2024.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The inclusion of a ban on the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of sexual misconduct, harassment and bullying in the Office for Students’ registration condition would be consistent with the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 that includes a ban on such agreements and is due to take effect on 1 August 2024.