Regulator to write to universities in England for transgender equality policies Higher education
The higher education regulator of England said it is writing to institutions that have transgender equality policies similar to University of Sussexthat a fine of £ 585,000 was delivered last month for not having supported the freedom of speech.
The office for students (of ASS) said that vice-changing would not yet apply, “but we will write to a handful of suppliers in which we have identified that they have-in front of similar policies in this area at the Sussex”.
THE Scala of the fine of the Sussex15 times larger than any previous penalty collected by the ADS, he sent shock waves through the education sector, pushing many universities to review their policies and contact the lawyers for advice.
The judgment ofS followed a three and a half years on the treatment of the University of Kathleen Stock, which resigned from its position as a professor of philosophy at the Sussex after becoming the goal of protests on its opinions on gender identification and transgender rights.
Following the sentence, the stock said that many institutions still had policies “with the same clauses against the ADS”. Since then a number of institutions have removed their trans policies of trans and non -binary equality while the content is reviewed.
A declaration on the website of the University of Bristol, for example, said: “Please note that the guide and policy of the University relating to the trans and non -binary inclusion are currently being reviewed in the light of the sentence from the office for students of 26 March 2025.”
On Monday, the Times Higher Education (The) reported having seen a letter to the vice-challiness of Arif Ahmed, director of freedom of freedom of speech and academic of the OFS, who urged universities to consider if they were respecting their regulatory obligations in light of the Sussex investigations.
He said that Ahmed wrote: “If you are not already doing it, I encourage you to review the policies relevant to the results of the OFS … and I consider the steps that you may need to ensure that the university is fulfilling its regulation obligations in these areas.
“I am eager to meet you to discuss the steps you are adopting and I would be happy to support your job appropriately.”
The letter continues: “We took measures to ensure that students have high quality education and are exposed to a wide range of academic thoughts and arguments.
“Our action also guarantees that academic staff can teach and search for lawful topics with confidence, even if they are controversial.
“The interest of the OFS is to guarantee the protection and promotion of a legitimate discourse – regardless of the opinions expressed.”
It was not clear how many universities had received the letter.
The ADS ruling against Sussex focused on a political declaration of trans and non -binary equality approved in 2018, which the regulator supported had “a chilling effect” which could involve self -censorship by personnel and students. One of the clauses asked academics to “positively represent trans people and trans lives” in the materials of the course.
Sussex planned to take legal actions to overturn the fine. He said that the OFS results meant that it was now almost impossible for universities to prevent abuse, harassment or bullying in the campus.
An ASS spokesman said: “It is important to emphasize that none of this means that suppliers cannot have policies that stabilize as students will protect from harassment – indeed, our new harassment conditions require them to do it”.
