Really pleased that HEPI published this piece by Smita Jamdar and me looking at some of the problems with the Office for Students Regulatory Framework.

The article covers, among other things, the difficulties in finding your way around the regulatory framework as published on the OfS website, the failure to update the framework website with the most recent regulatory requirements and the lack of clarity about the regulatory status of published notices and advice.

As can be seen from the OfS website the regulatory framework itself was last updated in November 2022. That is over three and a half years ago. CNAA, in the pre-digital era, managed to print handbooks annually containing its regulatory framework. It should not be too much to ask for the OfS to update its framework at least every year surely?

Instead, institutions are left in the position that, in order to develop a comprehensive picture of the whole regulatory landscape, they have to do it themselves. This DIY approach to regulation is just not acceptable and demonstrates what a mess the OfS regulatory framework is. As a first step, the regulator needs to get some serious housekeeping done to get things in order. Several recent regulatory changes and proposals have set out requirements that institutions publish single comprehensive sources of information – it is time the OfS got its act together and provided a single comprehensive Regulatory Framework.

Once the housework is done we really need to have a comprehensive review of the current burdensome regulatory model and look to replace it with a rationalised framework and a more effective and efficient approach. 

You can read the full piece on the HEPI website.