London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 24, 2025

Uni watchdog floats staff-student relationship ban

Uni watchdog floats staff-student relationship ban

Relationships between staff and students should be documented or banned, England's universities regulator has proposed.

Draft plans from the Office for Students (OfS) centre on relationships where the staff member has responsibilities toward the student.

The plans form part of a consultation on tackling harassment and sexual misconduct, which runs until May.

Universities UK (UUK) said it would work with the OfS on the proposals.

The National Union of Students said students may be reluctant to report misconduct by staff out of fear that it could impact their grades.

The OfS, which regulates universities in England, said harassment and sexual misconduct were "serious issues" in English higher education.

It said standards for universities and colleges to follow on a voluntary basis, set out in 2021, had resulted in "some improvements".

However, it concluded that practices varied across the sector, and reported incidents were not always followed up formally.

The regulator plans to introduce a new requirement for higher education providers focused on students and what it calls "relevant" staff members - that is, any staff member who has a professional responsibility for a student, such as teaching or assessing.

In its consultation, it is asking for views on two possible options:

*  The first, which the OfS calls its "preferred option", requires staff members to tell the university about any relationship they have with a student they are responsible for; the given information would then be logged in a register

*  The second is to ban entirely relationships between students and any staff members who interact with them professionally

The OfS said universities and colleges should take "appropriate disciplinary action" if a staff member does not comply in either case - including dismissal.

The regulator said it recognised that its proposals would "limit" the autonomy of students and staff, with OfS chief executive Susan Lapworth emphasising that most higher education staff behaved appropriately towards students.

But she added, "there can be a power imbalance in personal relationships that could be exploited by unscrupulous staff to subject students to harassment or sexual misconduct".

Some universities, such as UCL and the University of Nottingham, already ban relationships between students and the staff who work professionally with them.

Others, such as the University of Westminster, offer "bystander training", which are recommended by UUK, and aim to help students identify problematic situations.

Other plans in the OfS consultation include:

*  Requiring each university or college to publish a document outlining its approach and policies on staff-student relationships

*  Banning the use of non-disclosure agreements that prevent students from talking about their experiences

The NUS, which represents university and college students across the UK said four in 10 students have reported experiencing sexual misconduct while at university - but concluded "the problem is likely [to be] more extensive" .

It stated there was not enough support for students who reported misconduct from staff.

"Students who experience misconduct from staff members may be reluctant to report for fear of retribution that could impact their grades," it said, in statement - adding that a "cultural shift" involving more training was needed.

UUK, which represents 140 universities in the UK, said its members took harassment and sexual misconduct "extremely seriously and have been working hard to meet their obligations in this area".

"However, we recognise that there is still work to be done," their statement said.

"We look forward to working with OfS, so that these proposals will further strengthen universities' own efforts to ensure student safety."

The OfS is asking anyone with an interest in higher education, or in harassment prevention and support, to share their thoughts in its consultation.

A summary of the responses will be published later in 2023.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
China and Russia Deploy Seductive Espionage Networks to Infiltrate U.S. Tech Sector
Apple’s ‘iPhone Air’ Collapses After One Month — Another Major Misstep for the Tech Giant
Graham Potter Begins New Chapter as Sweden Head Coach on Short-Term Deal
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Alleges Poison Plot via Chocolate and Jam
Lakestar to Halt External Fundraising as Investor in Revolut and Spotify
U.S. Innovation Ranking Under Scrutiny as China Leads Output Outputs but Ranks 10th
Three Men Arrested in London on Suspicion of Spying for Russia
Porsche Reverses EV Strategy as New CEO Bets on Petrol and Hybrids
Singapore’s Prime Minister Warns of ‘Messy’ Transition to Post-American Global Order
Andreessen Horowitz Sets Sights on Ten-Billion-Dollar Fund for Tech Surge
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
×