Higher Education and Research Act 2017
| Higher Education and Research Act 2017 | |
|---|---|
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| Citation | UK Parliament. Higher Education and Research Act as amended (see also enacted form), from legislation.gov.uk. |
| Enacted by | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Date enacted | 27 April 2017 |
| Date of Royal Assent | 27 April 2017 |
| Legislative history | |
| Bill | Higher Education and Research Bill |
| Introduced by | Jo Johnson |
| First reading | 19 May 2016 |
| Second reading | 19 July 2016 |
| Third reading | 21 November 2016 |
| Conference committee bill passed | 21 November 2016 |
| Introduced by | Viscount Younger |
| First reading | 22 November 2016 |
| Second reading | 6 December 2016 |
| Third reading | 4 April 2017 |
| White paper | Success as a Knowledge Economy |
| Status: Not fully in force | |
The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (c. 29) was enacted into law in the United Kingdom by the Houses of Parliament on 27 April 2017. It is intended to create a new regulatory framework for higher education, increase competition and student choice, ensure students receive value for money, and strengthen the research sector.
The Act is a replacement for the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 and is intended to accommodate subsequent changes in the higher education sector.Viscount Younger, the sponsor of the Bill in the House of Lords, called it "the most important legislation for the sector in 25 years", a claim supported by Universities UK, who said that it is "the first major regulatory reform" to higher education in that period.
The Act is split into four parts: Part 1 establishes the Office for Students and gives it responsibilities for regulating the Higher Education sector; Part 2 amends prior legislation on student financial support and student complaints procedures; Part 3 establishes a body called United Kingdom Research and Innovation and gives it responsibilities for regulating and funding research; and Part 4 addresses miscellaneous issues such as transitional arrangements and data sharing.
The Office for Students (OfS) is established in the Act broadly as a replacement for the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The Act details requirements for appointments of the board of directors – that they reflect a diverse range of members with experience of various aspects of higher education – and outlines the main responsibilities of the OfS, leaving specific details to be developed in secondary legislation. It emphasises that the OfS should be a market regulator and protector of student interests, and specifies the post of Director for Fair Access and Participation (section 2). The Act abolishes of the official position of Director of Fair Access (section 82), meaning that the OfS will also replace the functions of the Office for Fair Access.
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