The University is legally challenging the Office for Students’s (OfS) recent decision and fine of £585,000. Yesterday (9 April) we published our ‘pre-action protocol letter’ which sets out, at a high level, the University’s legal case. The University believes that the OfS has acted unlawfully because it acted outside of its powers, irrationally and is wrong in law.  

To address some of the complexities about the investigation and misunderstandings in the media, we also published ten key facts about the OfS investigation.

Both items were published to coincide with a blog on the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) website by the Vice-Chancellor. In the piece, she outlines some of the implications of the OfS decision, in particular that universities might be unable to have policies that aim to reduce abuse, bullying and harassment, and that seek to create respectful and inclusive working and learning environments.   

The Vice-Chancellor also wrote a blog on the Politics Home website on 26 March about the ‘Kafkaeseque’ nature of the OfS investigation.

To stay up to date on the statements the University has made on this issue, please visit our webpage about our response to the investigation, which is regularly reviewed and updated.