Committee to hear evidence from student representatives on the Office for Students
The Industry and Regulators Committee will continue its inquiry into the work of the Office for Students (OfS), the regulator of higher education providers in England, by hearing from the National Union of Students and former members of the regulator’s Student Panel. The Committee will discuss how the Office for Students engages students and whether student input truly drives the OfS’ work, and question the extent to which the OfS’ view of the student interest and the value for money of higher education is driven by political priorities. The Committee will also consider how higher education providers engage with students and whether they provide prospective students with adequate information on what they will receive as part of their degree.
Meeting details
Possible questions
Possible questions include:
- How well does the OfS engage with students? To what extent do mechanisms such as the Student Panel, the student representative on the OfS’ Board and the National Student Survey really drive the work of the OfS?
- Is enough information provided to prospective students on how many contact hours they will receive as part of their studies, or whether their course may be cross-subsidising other courses at the same institution?
- How do students view whether higher education provides value for money? Is it possible for the OfS to measure value for money objectively or do these judgements reflect political and economic priorities?
- To what extent do higher education providers engage with their students and involve them in their decision-making?