The University of Sussex has started its High Court legal challenge against a record £585,000 fine for failing to uphold freedom of speech.
It claims the higher education regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), acted beyond its legal powers to impose the fine, and put too much weight on a trans and non-binary equality policy in place at the time.
The university had been caught up in controversy after Dr Kathleen Stock, a former academic at the university, resigned from her post as a professor following protests against her views on sex and gender issues.
The Office for Students will defend its “careful and detailed” investigation of the university in front of a judge this week.
When it handed down the fine the OfS said its investigation had found the university’s policy had a “chilling effect” on free speech, which may have led staff and students to censor themselves on campus.
As the regulator for all higher education providers in England, the outcome of the challenge against the OfS will have far-reaching implications for its ability to enforce freedom of speech and academic freedom at universities.
Opening the case for the university, Chris Buttler KC said Sussex had a proud tradition of fostering free speech.
He said the fine had “severe” consequences for the university’s reputation as a “bastion of free speech”.
