A new system designed to safeguard free speech at universities across England is set to be introduced, the government has announced.
The Office for Students (OfS) will oversee this “first-of-its-kind” scheme, launching from the upcoming academic year. It will allow university staff, external speakers, and non-student members to report concerns regarding providers in England, according to the Department for Education (DfE).
The higher education regulator will investigate these complaints, with powers to recommend that universities review decisions, offer compensation, or enhance their existing processes.
From next April, new registration conditions will enable the OfS to fine universities for breaches of their Freedom of Speech Act duties. Penalties could reach £500,000 or 2 per cent of income, and severe cases may result in deregistration, risking public funding loss.
The OfS said it has received reports of speakers and lecturers being “harassed and blocked” because of gender-critical or religious views, concerns about foreign interference restricting academic freedom, and job adverts requiring specific ideological beliefs.
The Free Speech Union (FSU) said nearly one in 10 of the 5,700-plus cases it has fought over the past six years involved universities “failing to protect free speech”.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Freedom of speech is the foundation of every university’s success, enabling them to foster robust debate and exchange challenging ideas respectfully.
“But there are far too many cases where academics and speakers are being silenced, inciting an unacceptable culture of fear and stifling the pursuit of knowledge.
“The urgency is clear which is why we are strengthening protections and empowering the regulator to restore our world-class universities as engines of opportunity, aspiration and growth.”
University staff currently use internal processes and can be forced into costly legal action.
The new complaints system will be free and will “empower more people to raise concerns confidently”, the DfE said.
Students raise their concerns about freedom of speech via the Office of the Independent Adjudicator.
It comes after the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act came into force in August, requiring universities and colleges in England to promote academic freedom to ensure discussions can take place on campuses without fear of censorship of students, staff or speakers expressing lawful opinions.
It also bans universities from using non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct.
The implementation of legislation, passed under the previous Conservative government in 2023, was paused by Labour in July 2024 after the general election due to concerns it could be “burdensome” for universities.
In January last year, Ms Phillipson announced the Government would be pushing ahead with key measures in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act.
President of Universities UK Professor Malcolm Press said members will be supported to comply with the new rules.
He added: “Protecting free speech while preventing harassment, hate speech, and radicalisation are complex tasks involving finely balanced decisions.
“It is important that the OfS discharges its new responsibilities fairly, transparently and proportionately.”
Lord Toby Young of Acton, director of the FSU, said that while the new complaints system is “welcome news”, it should be open for students to use as well.
He said that the FSU will “continue to campaign for their inclusion”.
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott said that academics had been left “exposed to censorship with no clear route of redress”.
She went on: “Protecting free speech in our universities is fundamental to academic freedom, and this step is welcome but long overdue after years of delay from Labour.”
Edward Skidelsky, lecturer at Exeter University and director of the Committee for Academic Freedom, said:”No longer will universities be able to bully with impunity academics who refuse to toe the standard line on race, gender, climate and many other issues.”
