United Kingdom Higher Education and Research Act 2017

United Kingdom Higher Education and Research Act 2017
Title	Higher Education and Research Act 2017
Enacted by	Parliament of the United Kingdom
Year	2017
Citation	2017 c. 29
Royal assent	27 April 2017
Territorial extent	England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Contents

United Kingdom Higher Education and Research Act 2017. The Act reformed regulation and funding across universities and research institutions, creating a new regulator and reconfiguring public bodies; it affected relationships with bodies such as Research Councils UK, Higher Education Funding Council for England, Office for Students, and Research England. Its passage intersected with debates involving figures and institutions including Theresa May, Philip Hammond, John Maynard Keynes, Russell Group, University of Oxford, and University of Cambridge.

Background and legislative context

The Act emerged amid policy discussions between Department for Education ministers and advisers linked to Prime Minister's Office personnel such as Theresa May and David Cameron era officials, and followed earlier reforms exemplified by Education Reform Act 1988, Further and Higher Education Act 1992, and debates influenced by reports from entities like Russell Group and Higher Education Policy Institute. It responded to concerns raised by stakeholders including National Union of Students, Universities UK, and interest from philanthropic organisations such as Wellcome Trust and foundations associated with Gates Foundation donors, while aligning with statements by chancellors like Philip Hammond and chancellors at institutions including Imperial College London and London School of Economics.

Key provisions established a new regulatory framework, introduced registration routes for providers such as University of Buckingham and private providers associated with AECC University College models, created a new research body replacing functions of Higher Education Funding Council for England, and codified powers regarding student protection plans involving actors like Office for Students and Student Loans Company. The Act included market-entry criteria referencing quality assurance arrangements with organisations akin to Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and contractual arrangements connecting to publicly funded initiatives at UK Research and Innovation partner bodies and grant-giving agencies including Arts and Humanities Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

The Act created the Office for Students as a new regulator with objectives that touch on access and participation agendas championed by groups such as Office for Students stakeholders, linking regulatory oversight to institutional registration and provider designations used by organisations like Student Loans Company and professional bodies including General Medical Council, Bar Standards Board, and Engineering Council. The Office for Students’ remit intersected with funding allocations formerly managed by Higher Education Funding Council for England and coordination with UK Research and Innovation components, while exercising powers comparable in scope to regulatory bodies like Financial Conduct Authority in market-entry oversight contexts.

The Act established Research England within the new UK Research and Innovation landscape, inheriting capital and research excellence framework responsibilities formerly associated with Higher Education Funding Council for England and operating alongside councils like Medical Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council, and Science and Technology Facilities Council. Research England’s mandate encompassed infrastructure funding, knowledge exchange agendas similar to initiatives at Innovate UK, and allocation mechanisms linked to assessments analogous to the Research Excellence Framework used by University of Manchester, University College London, and King's College London.

Universities such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, and post-1992 institutions experienced changes in registration, tuition fee oversight, and access conditions that affected student groups represented by National Union of Students, student unions at University of Birmingham and University of Leeds, and professional trainees registered with bodies like General Medical Council. The Act influenced institutional strategies at campus operators including University of Warwick and University of Southampton and had implications for international partnerships with institutions in regions like European Union member states and networks including Russell Group and Universities UK International.

The Bill proceeded through stages in the House of Commons and House of Lords, with ministers such as Jo Johnson and peers including Baroness Wolf and Lord Willetts contributing to debates; amendments were tabled by members affiliated with parties including Conservative Party (UK), Labour Party (UK), Liberal Democrats (UK), and crossbench peers. The Act received royal assent following committee scrutiny by select committees with evidence from witnesses representing Universities UK, National Union of Students, research councils like Wellcome Trust-associated researchers, and sector advisers from Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Critics from institutions such as University of Oxford, campaign groups including University and College Union, and commentators in outlets referencing analyses by Higher Education Policy Institute argued the Act risked marketisation and reduced academic autonomy; legal challenges and freedom of speech concerns involved stakeholders like Free Speech Union and drew commentary from figures such as David Willetts. Responses included regulatory guidance from Office for Students, administrative adjustments relating to bodies like Student Loans Company and coordination with UK Research and Innovation councils, and continued sector negotiations involving representatives from Universities UK, trade unions, and learned societies such as the Royal Society and British Academy.

Category:United Kingdom legislation 2017