Welcome

Higher education changed my life. The OfS is here to make sure students from all backgrounds get the same opportunities I did. Universities and colleges in England make an enormous contribution to society and individuals, through teaching, research and work in their communities – higher education is a combination of public and private good. It was certainly important for me and the way my life has turned out. I wouldn’t be leading the OfS if I hadn’t been the first in my family to go to university.

I worked in higher education institutions for many years and enjoyed that hugely. Universities and colleges are full of interesting, smart people doing important work. But sometimes things don’t always work as they should for students. And that’s where the OfS –the sector’s independent regulator – comes in. We work in the interests of students from all backgrounds, shaping the sector for the long term.

We’re clear that our focus for the next three years will be on the quality and standards of higher education courses; and equality of opportunity for all students; and on the wider regulation needed to make the system work.

Delivering these important priorities is not possible without the right people. We’re keen to find people who share our commitment to positive outcomes for students, who understand how to do that most effectively through regulation, and who approach their work with values aligned with ours: Ambition, Openness, Learning and Diversity.

We have a great team at the OfS that is united in its determination to make a lasting difference. I’m proud of what the OfS has achieved so far and ambitious to see more in the future. If you’re interested in the work we do as a regulator, if you think you have the capabilities to be a senior leader for us, and if your values align with the way we work, we would love to hear from you. 

Susan Lapworth
Chief Executive