Professor Charles Egbu, Vice-Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University has responded to the OfS publication:

“Improving student outcomes remains at the heart of Leeds Trinity University’s mission, and we are unwavering in our long-held commitment to widening participation and increasing access to higher education.

“This has been a key driver in the establishment of subcontractual partnerships, and we believe they continue to be an integral element to ensuring that personal circumstances are never a barrier to potential.

“We must start by saying that we fully accept the conclusions of the Office for Students’ (OfS) investigation into how we managed our subcontractual partnerships. We have cooperated fully with the OfS throughout the investigation and welcome the clarity that this settlement brings.

“We recognise the rapid growth in these subcontractual partnerships created pressures that our systems and oversight processes were not fully equipped to manage at the time. We fell short of the high standards our students and staff expect and deserve.

“Our Board of Governors and Executive Team have been proactive in taking decisive action to strengthen our oversight, quality assurance, and risk management frameworks around our subcontractual partnerships, liaising with the OfS and keeping them fully updated during its investigation. These reforms are already well underway, led by our Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, Professor Jayne Mitchell.

“We welcome the OfS’s acknowledgment of the significant progress that Leeds Trinity has made. This was a key factor in their decision to lower the financial penalty, and the improvements we have made should give partners and students confidence about the high quality of all our courses.

“Our focus now is on the future: ensuring our improvement plans are rigorously and fully implemented and monitored, embedding the lessons learned, and ensuring we meet the highest standards in all aspects of our provision.

“We remain committed to prioritising the academic and personal wellbeing of our students, delivering a high-quality education for every one of them, wherever and however they study, and to upholding the integrity of the Leeds Trinity name and our hard-earned reputation for providing an excellent student experience.”