Higher Education and Research Act 2017

[F1 A2 Code of practice U.K.

(1) The governing body of a registered higher education provider must, with a view to facilitating the discharge of the duties in section A1(1) and (10), maintain a code of practice setting out the matters referred to in subsection (2).

(2) Those matters are—

(a) the provider’s values relating to freedom of speech and an explanation of how those values uphold freedom of speech,

(b) the procedures to be followed by staff and students of the provider and any students’ union for students at the provider in connection with the organisation of—

(i) meetings which are to be held on the provider’s premises and which fall within any class of meeting specified in the code, and

(ii) other activities which are to take place on those premises and which fall within any class of activity so specified,

(c) the conduct required of such persons in connection with any such meeting or activity, and

(d) the criteria to be used by the provider in making decisions about whether to allow the use of premises and on what terms (which must include its criteria for determining whether there are exceptional circumstances for the purposes of section A1(10)).

(3) The code of practice may deal with such other matters as the governing body considers appropriate.

(4) The governing body of a registered higher education provider must take the steps that are reasonably practicable for it to take (including where appropriate the initiation of disciplinary measures) in order to secure compliance with its code of practice.

(5) The governing body of a registered higher education provider must, at least once a year, bring—

(a) the provisions of section A1, and

(b) its code of practice under this section,

to the attention of all of its students.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. A1 inserted (1.8.2025) by Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (c. 16), ss. 1, 13(3); S.I. 2025/528, reg. 2(a)