The Commons Women and Equalities Committee report on Attitudes towards women and girls in educational settings endorsed OfS’ development of a new registration condition on harassment and sexual misconduct.
Among other things, the proposed new condition would require institutions to create and publish a single document explaining their approach to harassment and sexual misconduct, including arrangements for handling the reporting of incidents and conducting investigations.
OfS has also proposed that the single document would need to explain “how the provider ensures that investigations undertaken and decisions made… are credible, fair, and otherwise reflect established principles of natural justice”.
Beyond that the consultation does not focus especially on investigations and hearings – but the need to adopt procedures which reflect the principles of natural justice is widely recognised, and features in the well-known Universities UK guidance on handling allegations of sexual misconduct.
