The government’s Boxing Day announcement does not name universities or student campaigners that have suppressed free speech and follows a similar one in October. The department does not at this stage outline how they would measure the governance or how they should comply with free speech. The OfS is expected to be given regulatory powers to issue formal sanctions against universities, such as fines or deregistration. Earlier in the year the government extended the statutory duty to secure free speech so that it will apply to all providers of higher education registered with the OfS. Analysis by Spiked magazine, supported by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, found that more than nine in 10 UK universities were restrictive of free speech.

Source: The Guardian December 26, 2017 00:00 UTC