The academic tasked with protecting free speech at English universities has told the sector that he and the Office for Students are “in listening mode” as they put flesh on the bones of a national complaints system.
Arif Ahmed, who was appointed England’s first director for freedom of speech and academic freedom in June, was due to set out his ambitions for the controversial role in a speech at King’s College London on 9 October.
He told Times Higher Education in advance of the speech that political impartiality was his top priority and that there was “no question whatever” that regulation “has got anything to do with culture wars or any political agenda”.
He said free speech regulation – which will include new duties for universities, colleges and students’ unions and a complaints scheme from August 2024 – was “not going to work unless it both is and is seen to be completely impartial”.
