Universities UK response to Office for Students consultation on regulating quality and standards in higher education

​Universities in the UK have a strong track record in delivering high-quality courses that support students to meet their aspirations and succeed in their chosen fields. While this is evident across the overwhelming majority of provision, we also acknowledge the concerns raised by the regulator in the Office for Students' consultation on regulating quality and standards in higher education. Students need to feel reassured and confident that wherever and whatever they study, their education will be of a high quality and academic standards upheld.

 
The stated intention of the proposals to clarify the definitions, indicators, and approaches used to regulate quality and standards is one Universities UK supports. However, as set out in the UUK consultation response, we have significant concerns about the proposals as currently positioned and have identified further unintended consequences that we think could be at tension with other policy agendas and/or have a detrimental impact on the sector. We welcome the opportunity to engage with the OfS in this consultation through the UUK response and will look to build on this through future conversations, including during the second stage of consultation.