Managing free speech on campus: The University of Sussex v Office for Students

About this webinar

The judgment in the judicial review of a decision by the Office for Students (OfS), England’s higher‑education regulator, to fine the University of Sussex £585,000 for allegedly breaching its legal duties to protect freedom of speech and academic freedom has now been published.

The OfS’s fine was the largest financial penalty it had ever imposed on a university. Sussex challenged the decision in the High Court, arguing that the regulator had misapplied the law, exceeded its statutory powers, and acted unfairly.

On 29 April 2026, the High Court ruled decisively in favour of the University of Sussex, quashing the fine in its entirety.

The decision has raised significant issues about how the OfS has approached its role in upholding free speech on campus and indeed about its wider approach to decision-making and enforcement.

Join Smita Jamdar to discuss the implications of the decision for regulation, compliance and risk and how institutions should navigate what remains very uncertain and complex terrain.