Franchising in Higher Education Conference 2026
The Franchising in Higher Education Conference 2026 will examine how universities can translate the strengthened regulatory framework for subcontractual provision into consistently high-quality delivery, effective institutional control and better protection for students and public funding.
The conference will focus on implementation. Delegates will explore how to build the required subcontracting information source, strengthen contracts and governance, improve course-level oversight, support delivery partners and ensure that the scale and complexity of provision remain aligned with institutional capacity.
The Conference will explore practical strategies for:
- Implementing OfS Condition E10 and the new expectations for lead-provider oversight
- Preparing for the DfE franchised-provider registration threshold and 2028–29 funding changes
- Building contracts, controls and evidence that work across the full partnership lifecycle
- Improving course-level quality, student support, data assurance and early intervention
- Aligning partnership growth with institutional capacity, governance and risk appetite
Context
Why Now?
Since 31 March 2026, in-scope lead providers have needed evidence that oversight, risk controls and escalation work in practice.
For accounting periods ending on or after 1 July 2026, in-scope providers must publish their subcontracting rationale and retained course-fee information.
Delivery partners with 300 or more franchised students will generally need OfS registration to retain student-finance designation for new students.
Proposed Condition C6 could begin phased implementation from autumn 2026 and would apply fair-treatment expectations across franchised provision.
What to Expect
Why attend the conference?
Translate the latest OfS and DfE requirements into a clear implementation plan for governance, contracts, quality assurance, data and partner management
Benchmark how your institution evidences control across recruitment, admissions, teaching, assessment, student support, outcomes and partner intervention
Identify practical actions to strengthen existing provision, support delivery partners and make better decisions about growth, consolidation and institutional risk
Policy Context
Quality Franchised Provision
Condition E10 and new DfE student-support rules are now in force, alongside updated OfS reporting expectations. Providers must align oversight, contracts, reporting and registration planning.
Condition E10 applies to lead providers
Providers with 100 or more students on relevant subcontracted courses must identify and manage risks to students and taxpayers and operate in line with a documented information source.
A subcontracting information source is required
Universities need a maintained and auditable source covering strategy, due diligence, governing-body oversight, risk controls, escalation, student protection and operational adaptability.
Franchise agreements must support oversight and intervention
Current and future agreements must allow universities to secure information, verify practice, intervene, protect students and operate consistently with their documented controls.
Delivery partners face a registration threshold
From 2028–29, providers with 300 or more franchised students will generally need OfS registration to retain student-finance designation for new students.
Breaches can affect future recruitment
An unregistered provider that exceeds the threshold may face a correction year in which courses lose student-finance designation for new students, affecting both the delivery and lead provider.
Capacity must match scale and complexity
The OfS expects adequate staffing, systems, processes and governance. Growth that outpaces institutional capability can itself become evidence of systemic risk.
Build a stronger model for high-quality franchised provision
Turn the new requirements into practical controls, better partner delivery and clearer institutional assurance.
Programme
Agenda
Chair’s Welcome Address
Oversight of Subcontracted Provision: Condition E10 in Practice
- When Condition E10 applies and how the overarching obligation changes the regulatory test
- The minimum content required within the subcontracting information source
- Governing-body oversight, verification and escalation in practice
- Evidence the OfS may use when assessing isolated and systemic risks
- Priority institutional actions across contracts, systems, staffing and reporting
Is Growth Outpacing Quality? Building Capacity into the Academic Operating Model
- What QAA’s data reveals about rapid growth and declining outcomes
- Why partnership size and speed matter more than franchising itself
- Where admissions, academic oversight, support and moderation come under strain
- How partnership-level data and the academic operating model can scale quality with student numbers
Break and Networking
Legal and Compliance Deep-Dive: Meeting Condition E10, Reporting and Registration Requirements
- Translating Condition E10 into effective governance, contracts, information sources and evidence
- Updating reporting and accounts processes for Regulatory Advice 9 disclosures and Regulatory Advice 16 events
- Reviewing delivery-partner registration status and protecting future student-finance designation
- Strengthening data access, contractual rights, escalation and intervention to reduce compliance risk
- Preparing policies and student-protection arrangements for potential Condition C6 requirements
Lunch Break
The Board Assurance Test: Can Your Institution Evidence Control of Every Partnership?
- What governing bodies need to see to evidence effective oversight
- Clear indicators of quality, capacity, financial exposure and student risk
- Decision rights and escalation thresholds across board, executive and academic governance
- How internal audit and independent challenge can test control at delivery level
Case Study: Resetting Partnership Scale, Oversight and Portfolio Control at Buckinghamshire New University
- How Buckinghamshire New University is changing oversight across its partnership portfolio
- The relationship between student-number growth, institutional capacity and risk
- Portfolio decisions on provision to strengthen, consolidate or exit
- Lessons for aligning future growth with staffing, systems, student protection and governance
Embedding Course-Level Quality Control
- What institutional expectations need to look like as clear course-level controls
- Oversight of teaching, assessment, moderation, staffing and student support
- Course data and student insight to identify variation across locations and cohorts
- How escalation and improvement activity can evidence impact
Break and Networking
Building the Partnership Operating Model: People, Systems and Institutional Capacity
- Approaches to matching specialist roles and resources to partnership type and scale
- Lessons on building shared ownership across academic and professional services teams
- How better systems can support a current view of performance and emerging risk
- Practical ways to test capacity before growth and intervene earlier
Supporting Delivery Partners Through Registration and Transition: A Lead-Provider Action Plan
- An update on the 300-student threshold and which partners are affected
- Guidance on registration expectations across governance, quality, finance and student protection
- What lead providers and delivery partners need to coordinate on data, evidence and communication
- Preparing for uncertainty around registration, designation and future recruitment
Chair’s Final Thoughts and Conference Close
Strengthen your franchised provision
Build a practical plan for quality, control and regulatory readiness.
Who Should Attend?
Audience
This Conference is designed for higher education leaders and professional teams responsible for subcontractual provision, academic partnerships, quality, governance, legal risk and institutional assurance. Those in attendance will include:
- Deputy and Pro Vice-Chancellors responsible for education, partnerships and student experience
- Directors and Heads of Academic, Educational and UK Partnerships
- Directors and Heads of Academic Quality, Standards and Enhancement
- University Secretaries, Registrars and Heads of Governance
- General Counsel, Legal Directors and Heads of Legal Services
- Directors and Heads of Risk, Compliance, Assurance and Internal Audit
- Directors and Heads of Planning, Data, Insight and Regulatory Reporting
- Deans, Associate Deans, Heads of School and Academic Partnership Leads
- Directors of Student Experience, Student Support and Student Success
- Commercial, Business Development and Partnership Portfolio Leaders
Registration
Secure Your Ticket
HE and Public Sector
£195 + VAT
- Full-day live conference access
- Latest regulatory and policy insight
- Practical institutional case studies
- Extended legal session
- Live chat and networking
- Access to event resources
Private Sector
£395 + VAT
- Full-day live conference access
- Latest regulatory and policy insight
- Practical institutional case studies
- Extended legal session
- Live chat and networking
- Access to event resources
HE Team of 3
£526.50 + VAT
- Full-day live access for three delegates
- Latest regulatory and policy insight
- Practical institutional case studies
- Extended legal session
- Live chat and networking
- Access to event resources
For group discounts and enquiries about your registration please contact us on enquiries@heprofessional.co.uk