Securing student success: Regulatory framework for higher education in England

Ref:: OfS 2018.01
Date:: 28 February 2018

Securing student success: Regulatory framework for higher education in England

The regulatory framework for higher education in England.

Amendments to the regulatory framework

1 May 2022: Revised conditions of registration and Notice

These changes follow our consultation on quality and standards.
See our analysis of consultation responses and decision

Quality and standards conditions

Revised ongoing conditions of registration B1, B2, B4 and B5 came into effect from 1 May 2022.

The new initial conditions of registration B7 and B8 apply to applications for registration made on or after 1 May 2022. Transitional arrangements apply to applications for registration which were live at any time between 1 March 2022 and 30 April 2022.

See the Quality and standards conditions

Notice of determination of conditions of registration

The transitional arrangements that apply to applications for registration which were live at any time between 1 March 2022 and 30 April 2022 are set out in this Notice.

See the Notice

Comparison document

A summary of the changes we have made to our conditions of registration.

See the summary of changes to quality and standards conditions

Consequential changes

A list of consequential changes to other sections of the regulatory framework to reflect final decisions on our amendments to the quality and standards conditions and associated guidance that came into effect on 1 May 2022.

See the list of consequential changes

1 January 2022: Changes following our consultation on revisions to our reportable events requirements

Amendments to the OfS's regulatory framework

Following our consultation on revisions to our reportable events requirements, we are making amendments to the regulatory framework, with effect from 1 January 2022.

Explanation of amendments to the OfS's regulatory framework

Changes to the framework following our consultation on revisions to our reportable events requirements.

1 April 2021: New general ongoing condition of registration (Condition C4)

The OfS has introduced a new ongoing condition of registration to enable us to intervene more quickly and in a targeted way when we consider there to be a material risk that a registered provider may cease the provision of higher education.

The condition applies from 1 April 2021 to all providers registered with the OfS, except Further Education Bodies (as defined in section 4 of the Technical and Further Education Act 2017).

See Condition C4: Student protection directions

3 July 2020 to 30 September 2021: New time-limited condition of registration (Condition Z3)

The OfS introduced a time-limited condition of registration in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The condition applied from 3 July 2020 until 30 September 2021.

See Condition Z3: Temporary provisions for sector stability and integrity

Sector-recognised standards

The OfS’s regulatory framework defines the ‘sector-recognised standards’ that have been adopted in relation to those conditions of registration that relate in whole or in part to the standards applied to higher education.

Sector-recognised standards in England

PDF, 201Kb

This document contains the sector-recognised standards that relate to general ongoing condition B5 (Sector-recognised standards) as revised with effect from 1 May 2022, and initial condition B8 (Standards).

Further details of these revisions to the sector-recognised standards can be found in our analysis of quality and standards consultation responses.

Published 28 February 2018
Last updated 01 May 2022 + show all updates

01 May 2022: Changes to quality and standards conditions are now in effect
11 April 2022: Summary of changes to quality and standards conditions, which take effect from 1 May 2022.
02 March 2022: Revised conditions of registration published, with effect from 1 May 2022.
20 October 2021: Two documents added, giving details of amendments to the regulatory framework, with effect from 1 January 2022.
31 March 2021: Added link to new ongoing condition of registration, condition C4
03 July 2020: Link added to the time-limited condition of registration.
25 April 2018: The paragraph references in Table 6 on page 47 of the regulatory framework were corrected.

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Securing student success: Regulatory framework for higher education in England

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