On 8 March 2026, the Department for Education set out measures to strengthen protections against extremism, harassment and intimidation on university campuses in England. The package covers tighter Office for Students (OfS) monitoring of the Prevent duty, refreshed guidance for external speakers and events, use of sanctions where legal duties are not met, plans to make the OfS a whistleblowing body, and a student‑co‑designed Campus Cohesion Charter. Ministers stressed that academic freedom and open debate must be protected while unlawful activity is addressed. (gov.uk)
Under section 26 of the Counter‑Terrorism and Security Act 2015, higher education providers must have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. In England, the OfS already monitors implementation of this duty via a published framework. The government’s announcement signals a step‑up in that oversight. (gov.uk)
The OfS will strengthen how it assesses whether universities are meeting Prevent responsibilities and ensure appropriate action where serious concerns arise. Sanctions available to the regulator include monetary penalties, suspension of access to student support funding or OfS grants, and ultimately deregistration from the OfS register. (gov.uk)
Updated government guidance will clarify the management of external speakers and events, supporting proportionate risk checks where speech risks crossing into unlawful activity or support for terrorism. This will sit alongside duties under the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023-elements of which took effect from 1 August 2025-now regulated by the OfS. (gov.uk)
The government also intends to make the OfS a whistleblowing body for registered providers, enabling staff to raise concerns directly with the regulator where they cannot do so internally. Further operational detail has yet to be published. (gov.uk)
A Campus Cohesion Charter will be co‑designed with students to set clearer expectations on conduct, respect and shared values across university life. The charter will form part of a wider Social Cohesion Action Plan aimed at building resilience to extremism, according to the Department for Education. (gov.uk)
Figures referenced in the announcement indicate Prevent referrals have risen by more than a quarter over the last year, increasing pressure on safeguarding, wellbeing and security teams as they handle hate incidents and extremist rhetoric. (gov.uk)
For governing bodies and accountable officers, the direction of travel points to more intensive assurance on Prevent. Providers should review risk assessments and governance routes; test external‑speaker and events processes against forthcoming guidance; check staff training, referral pathways and escalation arrangements; and ensure robust records to evidence decisions. Rapid notification of significant changes affecting Prevent responsibilities to the OfS remains expected under its monitoring framework. (officeforstudents.org.uk)
Policies addressing harassment and intimidation should align with the OfS’s Condition E6 on harassment and sexual misconduct, which came fully into force on 1 August 2025 and requires providers to uphold freedom of speech within the law when applying procedures. Ensuring consistency between E6, free speech duties and Prevent will reduce regulatory risk. (officeforstudents.org.uk)
Next steps now depend on the OfS’s detailed monitoring update and the publication of revised external‑speakers guidance. Universities should expect further communication from the OfS and the Department for Education after the 8 March announcement and plan for early implementation. (gov.uk)