Communications on the Office for Students’ (OfS) investigation into freedom of speech
These are the statements the University has made on this issue. As the legal process has now formally begun, the University will not be making further comment for the foreseeable future.
Our Statement of Facts and Grounds
September 2025. The University has produced a ‘Statement of Facts and Grounds’ on the basis of which it was granted permission by the High Court to apply for judicial review. The sections in purple represent amendments to the Statement of Facts and Grounds agreed by the Court following the publication by the Office for Students of Regulatory Advice 24. You can read the statement in full below.
Statement of Facts and Grounds [PDF 801.54KB]
Our legal case: pre-action protocol letter
On 9 May 2025, the University submitted its application for judicial review of the OfS’s decision. As the legal process has now formally begun, the University will not be making further comment for the foreseeable future.
Pre-action protocol letter [PDF 516.79KB]
The implications of the OfS investigation
Writing for the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) blog, the Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil sets out the implications of the OfS decision, which she argues are “wide ranging and highly corrosive of attempts to create diverse, inclusive and equal working and learning environments, and threaten university autonomy”.
A message from the Vice-Chancellor following the Office for Students’ report
Our Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil shares a short video message following the Office for Students’ report.
Vice-Chancellor statement
- Video transcript
Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil
Hello, everyone.
Sussex is in the news today and probably will be for the next few days, following The Office for Students decision to fine us a really extortionate amount of money.
In respect of what they consider two breaches of conditions of registration.
Friends, colleagues, students, I’ve been overwhelmed by the messages I’ve received.
Emails, text messages, supporting Sussex in our stand against The Office for Students here.
We need to take a stand for the sector and for the right of universities, and indeed, the need of universities to create respectful and inclusive communities, which is put at risk by this judgment.
We at Sussex remain as always, deeply committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom and to creating inclusive, supportive, respectful communities in which everyone, whatever their background, identity or belief, can flourish.
Politics Home opinion piece
On 26 March 2025, an opinion piece by Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil was published on the Politics Home website.
In the article, the Vice-Chancellor called the “Kafkaesque investigation” into the University "political scapegoating" and warned that the implications for the higher education sector could be dire.
University of Sussex official press statement
Also on 26 March 2025, the University of Sussex issued a press statement in response to the Office for Students’ own press release publishing the findings of its investigation.
The University’s statement condemned the findings of the OfS’ investigation, noting that its conclusions could leave universities unable to have policies to prevent abusive, bullying and harassing speech, ultimately perpetuating the culture wars. The Vice-Chancellor said that the regulators findings “will make universities ungovernable”.
Academic freedom and freedom of speech at Sussex
Read more about the University of Sussex’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech.