Committee hears evidence from Vice-Chancellors on the Office for Students
The Industry and Regulators Committee will continue its inquiry into the work of the Office for Students, the regulator of higher education providers in England, by hearing from current and former university Vice-Chancellors. The Committee will discuss how the Office for Students has carried out its role, its relationship with and independence from the Government, and its relationship with higher education providers and students.
The Committee will also consider the financial sustainability of the higher education sector. This will include discussing the business models of higher education providers, the financial risks that they face and how these risks are managed by the OfS and the Government.
Meeting details
Possible questions include:
- Are the Office for Students’ statutory duties clear and appropriate? Has it been given a clear job to do by Parliament?
- To what extent is the OfS’ work determined by the Government? Is the guidance the Government issues the regulator too prescriptive?
- How does the OfS evaluate whether higher education provides value for money? Is it possible to do so objectively or do these judgements reflect political and economic priorities?
- How does the OfS oversee the financial sustainability of individual higher education providers and the higher education sector more broadly?