Relationships between staff and students should be documented or banned, England's universities regulator has proposed.
Draft plans from the Office for Students (OfS) centre on relationships where the staff member has responsibilities toward the student.
The plans form part of a consultation on tackling harassment and sexual misconduct, which runs until May.
Universities UK (UUK) said it would work with the OfS on the proposals.
The National Union of Students said students may be reluctant to report misconduct by staff out of fear that it could impact their grades.
The OfS, which regulates universities in England, said harassment and sexual misconduct were "serious issues" in English higher education.
