Universities in England must step up their efforts to protect students from sexual harassment, the watchdog has said. The Office for Students (OfS) said that it will introduce certain standards that must be hit in terms of reporting systems, disciplinary processes, and staff training. It did not however require them to ban relationships between students and staff members which had been considered in the past.
Universities UK (UUK) represents 142 universities in the country and said that its members will work “constructively and rapidly” with the OfS. The National Union of Students (NUS) said that this is an “incredible win.”
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson, also minister for women and equalities, said a new ban on the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) will ensure that victims “do not suffer in silene.” NDAs were originally designed to protect business secrets. The legal contract stop people from sharing private information and have been at times used to silence complainant in sexual misconduct, bullying, and harassment cases.
The OfS, which regulates universities in England, has launched a consultation to tackle harassment and sexual misconduct. It is bringing a “condition of registration” for institutions that is designed to deal with these issues, meaning that no institution could call itself a university and award degrees unless certain requirements are met.
These include training for staff and students “to improve understanding of what constitutes harassment and sexual misconduct,” publishing details about their policies and procedures, and banning NDAs when dealing with cases of harassment or sexual misconduct.
Universities have until, 1st August 2025, to implement these changes, aside from the ban on NDAs which comes into effect on, 1st September 2024.
