Sector leaders say Office for Students is ‘not fit for purpose’

Senior figures in higher education have launched a blistering attack on ‘officious’ student regulator

The costs of being regulated by the Office for Students “are starting to outweigh the benefits”, the Independent Higher Education conference has heard, with Julian Gravatt, deputy chief executive for the Association of Colleges, saying the OfS “isn’t fit for purpose”.

During a panel discussion at the alternative provider body’s annual conference in London on 26 November, Chris Hale, director of policy for vice-chancellors’ body Universities UK, told delegates that among some universities there was “a concern about the increasing cost of regulation” with the OfS.