TO BE PUBLISHED October 2026
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This conference will examine next steps for tackling sexual harassment and misconduct in UK higher education.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to assess progress on implementation of Condition E6 - which requires universities registered with the Office for Students to bolster protections for students. Areas for discussion include the development of a single comprehensive source of information, mandatory training for staff and students, and mechanisms for reporting, case management, and investigation.
Reporting & case management
Delegates will explore how reporting routes are operating in practice, and priorities for developing effective signposting, proportionality for smaller and specialist providers, and options for supporting the separation of reporting from disciplinary processes. Sessions will also assess expectations for updated guidance - ahead of publication of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator’s consultation on handling reports of harassment and sexual misconduct - as well as priorities for strengthening definitions, case handling, and assurance processes.
Governance, integration & training
The agenda will examine whole-university approaches to leadership, governance and culture - as mandated by E6 - including strategies for supporting delivery of transparent, student-facing hubs with clear definitions of misconduct and harassment.
Attendees will discuss approaches to alignment of E6 with the University Mental Health Charter and wider student wellbeing initiatives, and to integrating updated RSHE guidance into induction and first-year modules to help students better understand expectations and available support. Language, fairness, and free speech will also be considered in light of the Office for Students’ Regulatory Advice 24 framework and E6.8 requirements on training, casework, and institutional policies.
Regulation & security arrangements
Further sessions will assess wider safety measures on and off campus, including priorities for improving regulation and safety of accommodation, campus security arrangements, as well as strategies for strengthening multi-agency partnerships. Delegates will explore how HEIs can improve visibility and accessibility of services, and co-ordinate effectively with sexual assault referral centres and other survivor support organisations.
Online harms & wider policy initiatives
Online safety and digital harms - including risks related to violence against women and girls - will be considered, alongside implications of the Online Safety Act 2023 for university platforms and student interactions.
Discussion will also examine the wider regulatory landscape, including new laws targeting sex-based harassment in public spaces and the use of Safer Streets funding and toolkits to improve safety in the night-time economy.
Overview of areas for discussion:
- implementation progress and provider capacity:
- supporting prominence, accessibility, and cohort-specific clarity from provider hubs - emerging practice and institutional change post-E6 - lessons learned for implementation so far
- proportionality and capacity for smaller providers and partners - sustaining compliance through shared resources - building internal capability to meet E6.7 expectations
- reporting, investigation and outcomes:
- achieving procedural fairness, credible investigations and timely decisions within E6 requirements - expected implications of updated OIA guidance - priorities for institutional assurance
- separating reporting from discipline - expectations for panel conduct, questioning, and evidence - handling historic cases and anonymous reports
- governance, culture, and training:
- board-level oversight of E6 delivery - clear lines of accountability - routine assurance using complaint learning, OIA reporting trends and internal KPIs - maintaining clear, student-facing information
- sustaining mandatory, evaluated training for staff and students - embedding trauma-informed practice - addressing and regulating staff-to-student misconduct and non-disclosure agreement practice
- campus and off-campus safety:
- community partnerships and multi-agency support - improving safety in public spaces, student neighbourhoods, and accommodation - local policing frameworks and support for violence against women and girls initiatives
- joint action on safer routes, CCTV, lighting and night-time economy operations - alignment of accommodation providers and city partners with Safer Streets priorities
- online safety and digital harms:
- incorporating Online Safety Act duties and Ofcom guidance into student education, provider processes and casework
- addressing illegal harms codes, online abuse and wider digital risks to student safety and institutional response
