Higher Education and Research Act 2017

32 Content of a plan: equality of opportunity

(1) An access and participation plan relating to an institution—

(a) must also include such provisions relating to the promotion of equality of opportunity as are required by regulations made by the Secretary of State to be included in the plan, and

(b) may also include further provisions relating to the promotion of equality of opportunity.

(2) In this section, any reference to the “general provisions” of an access and participation plan is a reference to the provisions included in the plan by virtue of subsection (1).

(3) The general provisions that may be required by regulations made under subsection (1) include, in particular, provisions—

(a) requiring the governing body of the institution to take, or secure the taking of, measures to attract applications from prospective students who are members of groups which, at the time when the plan is approved, are under-represented in higher education,

(b) requiring the governing body of the institution to provide, or secure the provision of, financial assistance to students,

(c) requiring the governing body of the institution to make available to students and prospective students information about financial assistance available to students from any source,

(d) setting out objectives relating to the promotion of equality of opportunity,

(e) relating to the monitoring by the governing body of the institution of—

(i) its compliance with the provisions of the plan, and

(ii) its progress in achieving any objectives set out in the plan by virtue of paragraph (d), and

(f) requiring the provision of information to the OfS.

(4) Regulations under subsection (1) may not require a plan—

(a) to include among the general provisions of the plan any provision referring to particular courses or to the manner in which courses are taught, supervised or assessed, or

(b) to include any provision relating to the criteria for the admission of students.

(5) In this section—

(a) “equality of opportunity” means equality of opportunity in connection with access to and participation in higher education provided by English higher education providers, and

(b) references to higher education do not include education provided by means of any postgraduate course other than a course of initial teacher training.