Universities risk sanctions over Gaza protests, watchdog says

In his interview with Political Thinking, Mr Ahmed said he was concerned about the protests on 7 October and antisemitism against Jewish students.

"Universities and colleges also have a duty to take steps to protect students from harassment and that includes antisemitic harassment," he said.

"And we in the OfS will be prepared to act if we think universities are not meeting those duties."

He said if there was "unlawful support for proscribed organisations" on campus "then that's absolutely not something that freedom of speech protects and it is something that we would expect universities to address".

Universities and colleges must be registered with the OfS if they want certain benefits, including access to student loan funding.

If universities are deemed to have breached the conditions of registration, they can be sanctioned by the OfS.

In March this year, the University of Sussex was fined £585,000 by the OfS for failing to uphold freedom of speech.

The OfS said the university's policy statement on trans and non-binary equality, including a requirement to "positively represent trans people", could lead to staff and students preventing themselves from voicing opposing views.

In an earlier interview with Political Thinking, Mr Ahmed said the assassination of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk was "an appalling tragedy" and warned democracy would not survive if differences could not be settled through speech.

"You must allow people to express their views on really controversial topics, because alternatively, there will be no alternative to violence," Mr Ahmed said.

"And that will be the abyss that we end up falling into."

Mr Ahmed also said the OfS was "ready to act" to punish universities for not protecting academics and students from harassment and intimidation from foreign dictatorships.

Mr Ahmed said he had seen evidence of visiting foreign scholars threatening academics in the UK, whispering in their ears "we're following you, we're watching you".

He said: "If your business model involves breaking the law, if your business model involves unlawfully suppressing academic freedom and freedom of speech at the behest of a foreign dictatorship, then you need another business model."

Mr Ahmed said the OfS had powers to force universities to take action.

"We can remove their titles to universities. We can fine them. We can ultimately cut off their access to public funding."