Lords Industry and Regulators Committee hears from former Office for Students CEO and Chair as inquiry opens

The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee will hear from Dame Nicola Dandridge (former Chief Executive of the Office for Students) and Sir Michael Barber (former Chair of the Office for Students) as it opens its inquiry into the Office for Students (OfS), the regulator of the higher education sector in England.

The session will run from 10.30am until 12.00pm and can be followed live on Parliament TV or in person in Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster.

Possible questions include:

• are the OfS’ statutory duties clear and appropriate?
• to what extent is the OfS’ work determined by the Government? Is the guidance the Government issues the regulator too prescriptive?
• how does the OfS evaluate whether higher education provides value for money?
• how does the OfS engage with students, and to what extent does student input drive the OfS’ view of their interests and its regulatory framework?
• what financial risks does the higher education sector face? Are these risks limited to particular groups of providers or are they widespread or systemic in nature?
• do higher education providers have sufficient focus on having a viable business model, and does the OfS oversee providers adequately in relation to this?

The Committee’s call for evidence for the inquiry is open until Friday 7 April. Details how to submit evidence are available on the Committee’s website.