Universities Watchdog Gears up for New Free Speech Powers With Consultation

The Office for Students (OfS) launched a consultation on Tuesday on its draft guidance on freedom of speech, ahead of new regulatory powers set to take effect in August. In the draft guidance, the OfS gave 30 examples of how higher education institutes in England or student unions may be failing to uphold their duties to protect freedom of speech and academic freedom, and reasonable steps that may be taken. Universities are warned against funding arrangements with foreign states or other foreign entities that may undermine freedom of speech, including by imposing an ideological test in a hiring process. It comes after a study found that Chinese universities have screened candidates by age, ethnicity, and political views while hiring staff for Confucius Institutes in the UK, and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) membership has been required for those who wanted to be a co-director....