Alex Proudfoot, Chief Executive of Independent Higher Education, responded to the Office for Students’ new strategy launched today:

“We welcome the publication of this new strategy for the Office for Students, which speaks to its growing confidence and a deepening understanding of the sector, both essential qualities for an effective and independent regulator which knows the importance of proportionality and impact in any intervention.

“IHE and the OfS share some key strategic goals over the next three years, as our priorities will naturally align in support of an increasingly diverse register of providers and new entrants to the sector. We are pleased to see the OfS prioritise prospective students being able to “choose from a diverse range of courses and providers at any stage of their life, with a wide range of flexible and innovative opportunities”, and we welcome plans to “proactively increase the diversity of provision available to students”.

“Best of all, the OfS has answered our call to put improving the validation system back on the table, as this would have the greatest impact of any intervention they could make on increasing the availability of high quality courses across England. Add in a more supportive approach to the registration of new entrants, and exciting ‘sandboxes’ for those who wish to innovate, and we feel positive that with IHE and the OfS working collaboratively on these issues, we can revolutionise access to the kind of cutting edge and specialist provision which would level up local economies and communities around the country.”