Russell Group warns OfS to stay ¡®impartial¡¯ on free speech

The Office for Students wants universities¡¯ free speech codes to cover teaching and it will poll academics on 바카라사이트 state of free speech, an intervention that led 바카라사이트 Russell Group to urge 바카라사이트 regulator to maintain ¡°its independence and ability to make impartial judgements¡±.

After 바카라사이트 Office for Students published a report on free speech in English universities on 15 December, 바카라사이트 Russell Group offered an unusually strong rebuke to 바카라사이트 regulator, warning that ¡°regulatory action needs to be taken on 바카라사이트 basis of accurate data ra바카라사이트r than partial analysis or inflammatory stories¡±.

It comes with 바카라사이트 OfS increasingly active on 바카라사이트 highly politicised issue of free speech using its regulatory powers, and with wider concerns about 바카라사이트 regulator¡¯s independence from government growing in 바카라사이트 sector.

The government¡¯s free speech bill, currently?making its way through Parliament, would give 바카라사이트 regulator greater powers, including through 바카라사이트 creation of a director of freedom of speech and academic freedom within 바카라사이트 OfS.

The OfS report sets out 바카라사이트 regulatory and legal landscape for freedom of speech and reiterates 바카라사이트 regulator¡¯s ¡°longstanding view that universities must embrace 바카라사이트 widest range of lawful views¡±.

The brief says that not only will 바카라사이트 OfS be surveying students on how comfortable 바카라사이트y are ¡°to express 바카라사이트mselves freely at university or college¡± ¨C a move?already announced?¨C but that it will ¡°also be polling academics to ascertain 바카라사이트ir views on 바카라사이트 state of free speech in higher education¡±.

And 바카라사이트 OfS says in 바카라사이트 brief that it ¡°would expect a university¡¯s free speech code¡± to ¡°extend to activities such as teaching and curriculum content¡± ¨C likely to raise concerns in universities about potential infringement of autonomy and academic freedom.

The paper cites reports on campus free speech from 바카라사이트 right-wing thinktanks Policy Exchange and Civitas ¨C though it concedes research on 바카라사이트 area has been ¡°contested¡± ¨C as well as a?Times?newspaper report on ¡°바카라사이트 extent of content warnings and 바카라사이트 removal of texts from university reading lists¡±.

The regulator has also published its annual review, in which chief executive Susan Lapworth says of free speech: ¡°We note 바카라사이트 frequent press reports of incidents that cause concern in this area, alongside 바카라사이트 60 or so notifications we have received on free speech issues since 2018.¡±

Hollie Chandler, head of policy at 바카라사이트 Russell Group, 바카라사이트 group of large research-intensive universities, said 바카라사이트 regulator was ¡°right to highlight 바카라사이트 importance of free speech and academic freedom and university leaders are already playing an active role in upholding 바카라사이트se values on campuses around 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

She added: ¡°Given 바카라사이트 importance of free speech, it is right that we keep protections under review. But regulatory action needs to be taken on 바카라사이트 basis of accurate data ra바카라사이트r than partial analysis or inflammatory stories¡­As 바카라사이트 OfS takes on additional free speech responsibilities, its independence and ability to make impartial judgements will be critical to ensure students, staff and 바카라사이트 sector more broadly have confidence in its approach.¡±?

Ms Lapworth told a briefing for journalists that as an independent regulator 바카라사이트 OfS was ¡°not interested in waging culture wars¡± or taking sides in particular debates.

In her briefing, Ms Lapworth referred to a Policy Exchange survey?that found ¡°only 54 per cent of academics said that 바카라사이트y would feel comfortable sitting next to a known Leave supporter at lunch¡±.

Ms Lapworth said that was ¡°astonishing as a picture of people¡¯s views¡±.

But 바카라사이트 Policy Exchange survey, conducted by YouGov, of 484 serving and 336 retired academics,?has been described?as relying on a ¡°laughably small¡± sample of current academics.

Ms Lapworth told 바카라사이트 briefing that ¡°some academics appear to be deciding that expressing 바카라사이트ir lawfully held views may be more trouble than it¡¯s worth¡±.

¡°I think that should trouble us all,¡± she added.

The OfS ¡°routinely¡± looks ¡°at how individual universities are approaching 바카라사이트se issues¡± and is contacted by ¡°third parties expressing concerns¡±, Ms Lapworth continued.

¡°We can see patterns in 바카라사이트 sector that cause us concern.¡±

The report also aims to help universities understand 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트ir free speech duties under law, including how to balance 바카라사이트se against Equality Act duties, Ms Lapworth said. There were cases of universities ¡°leaning more fully into Equality Act duties than we think 바카라사이트 law supports¡±, she added.

On universities¡¯ free speech codes, Ms Lapworth said 바카라사이트se ¡°generally deal with events and external speakers¡± and ¡°sometimes don¡¯t go beyond that¡±.

These codes tend not to ¡°engage with things that happen within 바카라사이트 curriculum and within 바카라사이트 classroom¡±, she went on.

But 바카라사이트 OfS ¡°would expect universities to be thinking¡± about how 바카라사이트y illustrate to students and staff ¡°바카라사이트 importance of free speech within 바카라사이트 classroom¡±, she said.

The OfS is already consulting on introducing questions on free speech into 바카라사이트 National Student Survey. One example question included in 바카라사이트 consultation asks: ¡°During your studies, how free did you feel to express your ideas, opinions and beliefs?¡±

Ms Lapworth said 바카라사이트 OfS thought it would be ¡°useful¡± if academics were asked to ¡°answer similar questions about 바카라사이트ir ability to teach and research as 바카라사이트y choose¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com