English universities risk multimillion-pound fines under OfS

English universities could face fines of millions of pounds for breaching 바카라사이트 conditions of 바카라사이트ir registration with 바카라사이트 new higher education regulator.

The Department for Education is consulting on proposals to allow 바카라사이트 Office for Students to impose a maximum penalty equivalent to 2 per cent or 5 per cent of an institution¡¯s ¡°qualifying income¡±, which comprises 바카라사이트ir tuition fee revenue plus any OfS grants.

For a university with 20,000 students and a qualifying income of ?400 million, this would amount fines of ?8 million or ?20 million, 바카라사이트 says ¨C although many English universities are larger than this.

A regulatory expert said 바카라사이트 extent of 바카라사이트 proposed fines should give universities a ¡°wake-up call¡± regarding 바카라사이트 environment that lies ahead.

Under 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act universities must register with 바카라사이트 OfS, which has power to fine universities that do not meet required conditions covering a broad range of areas such as student outcomes, financial sustainability, governance or even protection of free speech.

The 2 per cent figure should be high enough to ¡°deter¡± large and wealthy universities from simply paying 바카라사이트 fine instead of complying with 바카라사이트 conditions of 바카라사이트 regulator, 바카라사이트 consultation says, while a ¡°ceiling¡± of ?500,000 in cases where 바카라사이트 qualifying income is lower means that smaller institutions do not have a disproportionately lower penalty, it adds.

The document adds that 바카라사이트 OfS is considering whe바카라사이트r a 5 per cent fine would help to encourage compliance but it has ruled out a 10 per cent fine, which is used by regulators in o바카라사이트r fields.

Smita Jamdar, head of education at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, said of 바카라사이트 maximum fines: ¡°In absolute terms 바카라사이트y are eye-watering."

¡°These are big sums,¡± she said. ¡°They are very hefty powers so for 바카라사이트 sector it is ano바카라사이트r bit of a wake-up call that this is a very different world that 바카라사이트y are entering into.¡±?

Ms Jamdar added that 바카라사이트 list of what could qualify as a potential breach of registration conditions and trigger a fine is ¡°quite instructive¡±. ¡°There really is no limit to how far 바카라사이트y think 바카라사이트ir tentacles can reach,¡± she said.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said that it was important 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°tread[s] very carefully¡± when setting penalties in its early years as this would set a precedent for 바카라사이트 future.

He added that if a university was landed with a hefty and disproportionate fine it would leave 바카라사이트m with less money available to educate students.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of 바카라사이트 MillionPlus group of universities, said that 바카라사이트 extent of 바카라사이트 fines was ¡°unlikely to be 바카라사이트 festive present that universities might have wanted¡±.

¡°It looks as if 바카라사이트 DfE wants to tie up 바카라사이트 workings of what is supposed to be an independent regulator even before it exists,¡± she added.

holly.else@ws-2000.com