More than one in 10 higher education providers in England were subjected to formal monitoring after their finances were assessed by the sector regulator.
The Office for Students (OfS) said its job is not to “prop up a university or college which is not financially sound” as it outlined its legal powers to intervene when concerns arise.
The organisation has published a range of case studies to show how it has been working – mostly under-the-radar – to ensure financial sustainability is taken into account by providers so they “protect students’ interests”.
All 250 universities and other higher education providers were required to complete an annual financial return for the 2020-21 financial year, the OfS said, with 47 per cent of them subjected to further assessment after an initial triage process, and 20 per cent given informal engagement and monitoring.
