A specialist research institution 

GOVERNANCE AND COMPLIANCE 

Freedom of speech policy and toolkit 

The requirement. The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 placed stronger duties on providers and gave the Office for Students new investigatory powers. The institution wanted to be ready ahead of enforcement rather than after it, and to do so in a way consistent with its commitments on inclusivity and student safety. 

The approach. AHEP Consulting reviewed existing policy, then worked with staff and students to co-create a new framework alongside a practical toolkit: templates, decision flowcharts and worked examples covering speaker invitations, protest and complaints. 

The outcome. A policy that meets the statutory duty, and a toolkit staff can apply consistently without referring every decision upwards. Student involvement in the design means the policy carries more weight internally. The framework is written to absorb further regulatory change rather than requiring rewriting.