34:
458:(NUS) were opposed to what they called the "marketisation of HE", stating that "a climate of competition will never be in students’ best interests", and were also concerned about the link between measured teaching quality and rises in tuition fees. The amount of regulatory muscle given to the OfS, in having the authority to de-register universities, was criticised, as was the ease with which for-profit education providers could enter the market.
498:, both influential bodies representing university leadership, expressed their support in a joint letter to their respective members. They welcomed the change, stating that "current regulatory framework has not kept up" with changes within the HE sector. Even the NUS, otherwise fierce critics of the changes, expressed support for the provision of sharia-compliant loans supported by the legislation.
352:(TEF), and how it would be linked with tuition fees. It also proposed merging the existing seven research councils into a single body, UK Research and Innovation. It proposed procedures for new providers entering the market, with substantially fewer hurdles. It also proposed a national register of students' unions, which would give students who encountered issues greater mechanisms for redress.
309:
advocate for the whole research sector, and pool resources such as management and datasets. It gives the government the ability to set the direction of future research by maintaining a level of control over budgets of the individual councils, while still allowing a level of autonomy on how money is allocated to research projects.
274:. It emphasises that the OfS should be a market regulator and protector of student interests, and specifies the post of Director for Fair Access and Participation (section 2). The Act abolishes of the official position of Director of Fair Access (section 82), meaning that the OfS will also replace the functions of the
308:
United
Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI), established in Part 3 of the Act, brings together the country's seven research councils, replacing each of them with committees (while still using the term "councils" to refer to them) within UKRI. It is intended to strengthen interdisciplinary research,
415:
by
Viscount Younger, and they made their own amendments to the Bill. They voted that there should be additional constraints for entry to the higher education market to prevent profit-motivated providers gaining access too easily, to the detriment of students and the sector. They also voted that the
355:
On 18 May 2016, the week after the publication of the white paper, the State
Opening of Parliament Queen's speech announced new legislation "to support the establishment of new universities and to promote choice and competition across the higher education sector". The next day, the Higher Education
407:
including the renaming of the Office for
Students, requiring that de-registration of higher education providers be supported by secondary legislation and changing the metrics by which teaching is measured. All opposition amendments were rejected at the Commons committee stage and the Bill passed
486:
The government has hit back at critics, with Jo
Johnson saying existing universities are merely afraid of competition, and are "acting like bouncers deciding who should and should not be let into the club". The government position is that the increased competition, and the link between teaching
285:
in their titles, which will ease entry to the Higher
Education market. The regulatory powers granted to the OfS go as far as allowing it to apply for a warrant to enter universities' premises, and to revoke degree awarding powers and university status, even where these were issued by
464:, previously an adviser to the government, expressed concern that "sweeping general legislation might make it easier to set up a really small, innovative, educationally wonderful institution, but it’s much more likely to mean we end up with the American-style catastrophe".
270:. The Act details requirements for appointments of the board of directors – that they reflect a diverse range of members with experience of various aspects of higher education – and outlines the main responsibilities of the OfS, leaving specific details to be developed in
293:
The OfS is also given a funding role, with the ability to make "grants, loans or other payments to the governing body of an eligible higher education provider", and that it may attach any terms and conditions to the payments "as the OfS considers appropriate".
482:
professor Gill Evans stated that "they tend to go for what can be taught cheaply to a mass market", and that the majority of current private providers are only offering courses up to level 5, rather than full degrees.
238:
and gives it responsibilities for regulating the Higher
Education sector; Part 2 amends prior legislation on student financial support and student complaints procedures; Part 3 establishes a body called
317:
The Act amends previous legislation, replacing instances of the word "loan" with "loan, or alternative payment". While not explicitly mentioned in the Act, this is to support the issuance of
475:
has long been in favour of legislation to support new universities, but said that even he thought the speed with which they could be approved under the new legislation was "a risk too far".
73:
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on 16 May 2016. The paper proposed a new regulatory system, headed by an Office for
Students, and gave more detail on the future of the recently-introduced
51:
An Act to make provision about higher education and research; and to make provision about alternative payments to students in higher or further education.
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1159:
281:
The Act also creates procedures for the OfS to grant degree-awarding powers to education providers, and also for granting the right of providers to use
1108:
446:
The amended Bill was voted on in both houses on 27 April 2017, then received royal assent as the Higher
Education and Research Act later that day.
243:
and gives it responsibilities for regulating and funding research; and Part 4 addresses miscellaneous issues such as transitional arrangements and
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TEF should not be used to create a consolidated ranking of universities, and that its metrics should be subject to additional oversight.
332:'s role in handling student complaints is expanded under Part 2 of the Act to cover any higher education provider on the OfS's register.
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960:
882:
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435:. The linking of the TEF to tuition fees was to be delayed, but not prevented altogether, and the OfS would be required to consult the
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reached an agreement with the
Government to vote for a version of the Bill with substantially reduced amendments as part of the
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212:, increase competition and student choice, ensure students receive value for money, and strengthen the research sector.
1212:
1109:"The Government is championing new university providers - but where's the evidence to prove they're fit for purpose?"
1056:
174:
523:
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for Universities and Science. Even before the Bill's second reading, substantial opposition was forecast, with one
38:
137:
1224:
548:
1134:"Jo Johnson accuses Britain's leading universities of acting like a 'cartel' and behaving like burly bouncers"
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Others have pointed to the lack of subject diversity that the likely influx private providers will offer.
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by the Houses of Parliament on 27 April 2017. It is intended to create a new regulatory framework for
990:"UPDATED: Agreement reached on HE Bill as it heads to final stages of debate | Wonkhe | Policy Watch"
424:
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153:
141:
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predicting that it would not get through the House of Commons without significant amendment, and
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231:, who said that it is "the first major regulatory reform" to higher education in that period.
227:, called it "the most important legislation for the sector in 25 years", a claim supported by
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England and Wales (whole Act), Scotland and Northern Ireland (ss. 25, 79–80, 83, parts 3–4)
8:
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The Office for Students (OfS) is established in the Act broadly as a replacement for the
261:
235:
192:
1084:"EducationInvestor - Article: Alison Wolf: Private university plans 'risk catastrophe'"
627:
454:
As the Bill passed through parliament, it was widely criticised within the sector. The
1218:
1028:
428:
393:
119:
908:"De-registration by the OfS: 15 Sep 2016: Public Bill Committees - TheyWorkForYou"
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and is intended to accommodate subsequent changes in the higher education sector.
676:"UKRI if you want to: how to read the new research landscape | Wonkhe | Analysis"
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883:"The Office for Students: 8 Sep 2016: Public Bill Committees - TheyWorkForYou"
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1185:"Letter to UUK and GuildHE Members on the Higher Education and Research Bill"
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Outside of the government, the legislation has had its supporters. Notably,
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quality and tuition fees, will force existing universities to improve.
472:
373:
69:
1057:"NUS responds to the government's Higher Education and Research Bill"
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through the House of Commons after the third reading on 21 November.
495:
372:
The Bill was introduced to the Commons for its first reading by
178:
961:"Lords defeat UK government again on TEF and private providers"
782:
579:"Implementation of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017"
831:"HE bill 'will face substantial opposition in Parliament'"
647:"Higher education bill seeks powerful Office for Students"
297:
234:
The Act is split into four parts: Part 1 establishes the
806:"Higher Education and Research Act 2017 — UK Parliament"
175:
Records of Parliamentary debate relating to the statute
858:"Higher Education Bill could cause massive disruption"
752:"Higher education White Paper: key points at a glance"
726:"HE White Paper: the higher education sector responds"
524:"Be it enacted: The Higher Education and Research Act"
313:
Alternative payments and the student complaints scheme
1160:"We must break open the higher education closed shop"
1213:
Bill Stages – Higher Education and Research Act 2017
936:"Challenging Government plans for our universities"
1292:History of higher education in the United Kingdom
1238:
392:for higher education, voiced concerns that the
1225:Collection: Higher Education and Research Bill
1219:Higher Education and Research Act – as enacted
396:result meant that the Bill should be shelved.
549:"Higher Education and Research Bill - GOV.UK"
437:Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
367:
83:James Younger, 5th Viscount Younger of Leckie
268:Higher Education Funding Council for England
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335:
1257:Education regulation in the United Kingdom
1231:Success as a Knowledge Economy white paper
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1021:"Who's afraid of private universities?"
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1262:Higher education in the United Kingdom
1247:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 2017
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304:United Kingdom Research and Innovation
298:United Kingdom Research and Innovation
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241:United Kingdom Research and Innovation
202:Higher Education and Research Act 2017
150:Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998
22:Higher Education and Research Act 2017
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702:"2017 Annual Open Meeting of the OIA"
330:Office of the Independent Adjudicator
217:Further and Higher Education Act 1992
186:Text of statute as originally enacted
168:History of passage through Parliament
146:Further and Higher Education Act 1992
1282:Science policy in the United Kingdom
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204:(c. 29) was enacted into law in the
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403:, amendments were proposed by the
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193:Revised text of statute as amended
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470:Higher Education Policy Institute
223:, the sponsor of the Bill in the
215:The Act is a replacement for the
1019:Lock, Helen (15 February 2017).
856:Marsden, Gordon (15 July 2016).
423:meant that Parliament had to be
356:and Research Bill had its first
39:Parliament of the United Kingdom
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439:before awarding the use of the
362:United Kingdom House of Commons
138:Science and Technology Act 1965
1277:Research in the United Kingdom
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411:The Bill was sponsored in the
346:Success as a Knowledge Economy
1:
1287:United Kingdom Education Acts
700:Clements, Judy (8 May 2017).
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350:Teaching Excellence Framework
965:Times Higher Education (THE)
835:Times Higher Education (THE)
756:Times Higher Education (THE)
730:Times Higher Education (THE)
651:Times Higher Education (THE)
449:
7:
1272:Higher education regulation
1088:www.educationinvestor.co.uk
340:The Government published a
290:under the previous system.
161:Status: Current legislation
10:
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1062:National Union of Students
456:National Union of Students
368:Passage through Parliament
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18:United Kingdom legislation
319:sharia-compliant payments
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154:Higher Education Act 2004
142:Education Reform Act 1988
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336:Introduction of the Bill
95:Territorial extent
810:services.parliament.uk
276:Office for Fair Access
778:"Queen's Speech 2016"
633:The National Archives
421:snap general election
323:Student Loans Company
272:secondary legislation
74:Universities Minister
1267:Higher education law
1221:– legislation.gov.uk
262:Office for Students
256:Office for Students
236:Office for Students
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628:legislation.gov.uk
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1252:2017 in education
1164:Conservative Home
394:Brexit Referendum
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1190:. 25 April 2017
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786:. 18 May 2016
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110:Royal assent
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342:white paper
1241:Categories
553:www.gov.uk
502:References
473:think tank
441:university
405:Opposition
374:Jo Johnson
283:university
70:Jo Johnson
61:2017 c. 29
47:Long title
1033:0261-3077
480:Cambridge
450:Reception
425:dissolved
1233:– gov.uk
1227:– gov.uk
1194:3 August
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378:Minister
57:Citation
594:31 July
558:28 July
533:28 July
496:GuildHE
468:of the
443:title.
399:At the
360:in the
358:reading
344:titled
321:by the
179:Hansard
78:Commons
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994:Wonkhe
783:Gov.uk
680:Wonkhe
528:Wonkhe
388:, the
376:, the
134:Amends
1188:(PDF)
705:(PDF)
582:(PDF)
177:from
104:Dates
87:Lords
1196:2017
1171:2017
1145:2017
1120:2017
1095:2017
1070:2017
1040:2017
1029:ISSN
1001:2017
973:2017
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894:2017
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843:2017
817:2017
792:2017
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738:2017
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560:2017
535:2017
494:and
419:The
328:The
200:The
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1059:.
1048:^
1027:.
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