Consultation on minimum service levels in universities

The government will launch a consultation on minimum service levels in universities, which will help protect students during disruption such as strike action.

Previous strike action has resulted in lost learning at critical times during students’ education, and students and universities will be encouraged to share their views on the impact of strike action.

The consultation will focus on stronger protections for final year students, key cohorts or those studying specialist subjects. If introduced, the minimum service level could ensure students get the education they pay for, protecting them from strike action, for example looking at how to guarantee continued services such as teaching contact hours and marking their work during walkouts.

The move builds on reforms announced earlier this year to improve the quality of university degrees for students by making sure universities are accountable for how students are progressing through their courses and what they will earn after graduation.

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