Morning, Thursday, 26th June 2025
Online
This conference will consider the future for freedom of speech in UK higher education, with the Government announcing a renewed commitment to implement key provisions in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, whilst removing some provisions.
It will bring key stakeholders, regulators and policymakers together to discuss implications and priorities as universities and the OfS prepare for the implementation of new duties and responsibilities before the start of the 2025/2026 academic year, and to look ahead to the potential introduction of further legislation in a future King’s Speech.
The agenda will bring out latest thinking on practical considerations for institutions in meeting responsibilities related to free expression while balancing concerns around campus culture, student safety, academic integrity, liability and costs.
Areas for discussion include safeguarding against harm and harassment, alongside the roles and responsibilities of the HE sector and individual institutions, their staff and students in the context of the finalised OfS complaints scheme and guidance on compliance.
Sessions will also consider implications of key provisions of the Act, including the new statutory duties on universities, colleges, and students’ unions, as well as operational challenges of implementing free speech policies. Attendees will examine how institutions can effectively develop internal processes for handling complaints, and next steps for regulation in response to lessons learnt from early cases under the new framework.
The conference will also be an opportunity to consider the impact of a proposed new definition of Islamophobia, development of a council on anti-Semitism on freedom of speech in HEIs, and regulation moving forward.
Further discussion is expected on strategies for promoting a culture of free expression on campus while maintaining inclusivity and wellbeing, as well as how universities should approach academic freedom in teaching and research under the new legal landscape.
With the agenda currently in the drafting stage, overall areas for discussion include:
- freedom of speech on university campuses: assessing impact of the implementation of key provisions in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 for students, staff, and institutional governance
- campus conduct and culture: trends in student views on free speech and self-censorship - approaches to addressing harassment and discrimination
- academic freedom, teaching, and research: the new regulatory framework - curricular design, reading lists, and research independence - new Islamophobia definitions
- the OfS complaints scheme: developing systems for addressing free speech complaints - assessing implementation challenges and responses to the new statutory process
- policy priorities and regulation: evaluating the regulatory approach to student unions - balancing free expression with responsibilities for inclusivity and student welfare
