Student Protection Plan
Condition C3: Student Protection Plan
Provider’s name: Regent Global College
Provider’s UKPRN: 10095955
Legal Address: Fiscal House
76 Station Way
Buckhurst Hill
IG9 6LL
Contact point for enquiries about this student protection plan: Director Waqas Iqbal
Introduction
Regent Global College (RGC) considers the interest of students to be paramount and is committed to enabling its students to achieve the best possible academic outcomes from their studies. The Higher Education & Research Act 2017 requires Higher Education Institutes to maintain a Student Protection Plan to protect students in the case of material change;
The Student Protection Plan sets out the measures RGC has in place to protect our students in the event that a risk to the continuation of their studies should arise. The type of event or changes, which might cause such a risk, are detailed below:
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The Student Protection Plan is available on the website for all the prospective students in HE. The measures contained within this plan will apply to all students studying for SLC-funded or self-funded qualification delivered at Regent Global College. These measures are also in addition to the protections students have under consumer protection law and do not impinge on their consumer rights;
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RGC commits to being open and transparent with students should any risk to the continuity of studies arise and RGC will inform students in a timely manner;
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RGC commits to taking reasonable steps to protect students should the College discontinue a programme or discipline, close a location (building or campus) where a programme is taught or close altogether;
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RGC commits to taking into consideration the needs of all our students and the impact on them of any proposed changes and protective measures;
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RGC commits to supporting our students with advice and guidance and other support as appropriate, in the event of significant changes that impact their studies;
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RGC commits to informing the OfS of any changes that may necessitate a review of the plan or any of the measures contained within it;
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RGC commits to seek student opinion regularly on this plan as part of the student feedback process;
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RGC commits to ensuring that all staff members are aware of the implications of the Student Protection Plan when proposing programme changes;
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RGC retains the right to make minor adjustments and improvements to course, programme and module content year on year and these in themselves do not warrant the triggering of student protection measures. However, if a student is not content with the proposed outcomes or believes that the course as delivered varies significantly from what was expected, the issue can be raised through a complaint to the Registrar of the College.
Triggering Circumstances
The Student Protection Plan will be triggered in the event of major changes; these include circumstances in which the College:
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decides to discontinue a specific designated programme on which students are currently enrolled and teach-out arrangements are not guaranteed;
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decides to close the location (building or campus) in which a programme is primarily taught and cannot find suitable premises at a nearby location;
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decides to cease operating altogether.
Additional Triggers
RGC may also invoke this plan if:
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Accreditation of a programme by an awarding body or Professional, Statutory or Regulatory body (PSRB) was subsequently withdrawn;
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The College can no longer deliver a designated programme to students;
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This plan provides an assessment of the various events that may have an impact on continuation of study and measures that are in place to mitigate the impact of such occurrences.
Assessment of Risks
The following section addresses an assessment of (1) the range of risks to the continuation of study for our students, (2) how those risks may differ based on our students’ needs, characteristics and circumstances and (3) the likelihood that those risks will crystallise:
TheCollege has created an instituitionalRiskRegisterwhichidentityvarioussetsofrisks.
The instituitional Risk Register includes a number of mitigation arrangements to eliminate or mitigate the impact of the risks.
Measures for Mitigation
This section addresses measures RGC has put in place to mitigate those risks that RGC considers to be reasonably likely to crystallise;
Managing Risks and Mitigating Potential Impacts
This section describes deferral or refusal of the specific course designation.
In the event of the deferral or refusal of the specific course designation, Regent Global College will appeal the decision and/or make a new application for designation with a view to the restoration of its registration for the subsequent academic year. Further to the deferral or refusal of course designation the College will implement its Contingency Plan to maintain sustainability;
The Contingency Plan will aim to ensure that RGC staff are sufficiently qualified and are in receipt of continuous training to ensure that academic standards and quality of learning opportunities meet the expectations of the students, the Designated Quality Body, the OfS and the DfE. Particulars of the Contingency Plan to maintain financial Sustainability are detailed below;
In the event of the withdrawal of existing course designation for student support purposes (resulting in the withdrawal of statutory finance for its courses), the College will work with the regulatory body to:
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ensure all reasonable steps are taken to minimise the resultant disruption to affected students;
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ensure that, as far as possible, changes are made in a transitional manner.
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Examples of possible steps include:
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working with relevant funding bodies to allow enrolled students to complete their year of study/programme;
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where the above is not possible, supporting students to transfer to appropriate programmes at other providers and, where appropriate, financially compensating students where they suffer demonstrable, material financial loss because of disruption to their studies (see Student Compensation Policy);
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considering assistance for affected students by providing evidence/letters/statements in support of the continuation of their studies;
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partner with another institution to maintain all or part of the current provision.
The College meanwhile would endeavour to regain designation as soon as possible by working with the OfS, DfE or other relevant bodies.
Managing Risks
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This section addresses managing risks and mitigating impacts of the College’s closure, prompted by unforeseen events;
Institutional Closure
- Where RGC has no option, other than institutional closure, it will consider measures such as those below to protect students:
- where possible, continue operating in a transitional manner over a period that would allow enrolled students to complete their studies at the institution by means of a teach-out;
- where it is not possible to continue operating in a transitional manner, the College would support students to transfer to appropriate programmes at other suitable providers, and (where appropriate financially) by compensating students where, because of disruption to their studies, they suffer demonstrable, material financial loss.
- We will ensure that sufficient funds are held in reserve to cover all costs incurred in respect of resource provision in the relocation process if needed.
- Where a campus or rendered unusable for programme delivery, RGC will typically consider the following options available:
a) Where possible, managing the timeframe for closure of a campus to allow students to complete their studies;
b) In the situation of being unable to host provision within existing campuses, relocating provision to an alternative location, this may include hiring spaces for programme delivery;
c) Revising the class timetables to allow all programme delivery to take part in available facilities;
d) Where the above is not possible, supporting students to transfer to appropriate programmes at other provide
Temporary Disruption
This section addresses managing risks and mitigating the impacts of temporary disruption of teaching activities within the term, caused by unforeseen circumstances.
Where circumstances result in programme disruption, the College as a rule will consider whether changes can be made to programme delivery, rather than closing or suspending a programme;
If teaching activities are temporarily interrupted within the term, we will minimise the risks to students by ensuring that temporary accommodation plans are in place and that resources in our financial reserves are sufficient to cover ongoing and additional expenses, including academic and administrative costs;
All RGC Higher Education courses will be delivered by programme teams. College staff will be employed on the basis that they can teach across a range of academic units. As a result, every HE course has a number of staff suitably qualified to support programme delivery as required. Thus, the College will not dependent on any single member of staff for programme delivery. Additionally, teaching resources and materials will be stored centrally and are accessible by all staff. Consequently, should a member of staff unexpectedly be unable to continue, a suitably qualified alternative member of the programme team will be able to take up course delivery with minimal disruption.
Mitigating Impacts of Regulatory Policies
This section addresses policy changes introduced by OfS and other HE regulatory bodies, regarding the availability of HE student tuition and maintenance loan funding for HND students registered at RGC.
RGC recognises the position of Higher National Qualifications in respect of HE funding, remains a subject for debate that could result in removing DfE HE funding from students wishing to pursue HN qualifications as an alternative route to completing a university degree or improving prospects for employability. A change of that order could have substantial impact upon the student populations of Alternative Providers, like our College, are committed to widening participation.
Closure of an Individual Programme
RGC is committed to completing the delivery of all designated HE courses and will take every feasible step to continue programme delivery. In the event that circumstance necessitates that course must be suspended or closed and where there will be a material impact on students, the effects may be mitigated by implementing the following:
a) Wherever possible, arrangements will be made to teach-out current students where the decision has been made to leave the market or close a programme. This commitment would ensure that all currently enrolled students would be able to complete the programme of study, despite the programme being discontinued and no further cohorts being recruited and/or;
b) RGC will liaise with Pearson to assure teach-out with the guarantee of the accreditation; however, if this is not feasible RGC will actively negotiate with other HE Providers to make arrangements for affected student cohorts and/or if the above measures are unsuccessful, RGC will support students in seeking another HE Provider and continuing their studies with them.
Contingency Plan to Maintain Financial Sustainability
College has a contingency plan in place to adjust expenditures in non-core areas and maintain staff qualifications and training. The college holds sufficient cash reserves and possesses additional assets to support financial sustainability. Flexibility in employment terms and cost structure enables the college to adapt to changes without compromising student experience. Additionally, dividend payments may be curtailed if warranted by the liquidity position.
Complaints
If students dispute the amount of refund they are entitled to or remains dissatisfied with any other matter arising from the Tuition Fee and Refund Policy, they can make a complaint under the Student Complaints Policy and Procedure, which can be accessed at: rgc.ac
Compensation
Regent Global College has established clear policies regarding tuition fee refunds and compensation in the event of an inability to sustain continuation of study.
The College's Tuition Fee and Refund Policy is readily available to current and prospective students through RGC website and internal resources, ensuring fairness, transparency, and accessibility to all stakeholders. The policy outlines refund procedures for students receiving tuition fee loans, self-funded students, sponsored students, and other relevant scenarios.
Temporary Termination and Adjustment of a Programme (TTAP)
In cases of TTAP, where a program is temporarily discontinued but adjusted by the end of an academic year, RGC will:
• Individually consult registered students through the Registrar’s office, personal tutor system, and student engagement team.
• Ensure all registered students receive appropriate program awards.
• Assist students in deciding whether to transfer programs or institutions.
• Offer reimbursement for reasonable travel costs to alternative providers.
• Provide a compensation package after consulting with students, incorporating provisions for additional travel and maintenance costs.
Unavoidable Termination
In instances of unavoidable termination due to unexpected events or program viability issues, RGC will:
• Individually consult registered students.
• Ensure all registered students receive appropriate program awards.
• Assist students in deciding whether to transfer programs or institutions.
• Offer reimbursement for reasonable travel costs to alternative providers.
• Provide a compensation package after consulting with students, including provisions for additional travel and maintenance costs, and ensure availability of bursaries or similar funding for students transitioning to different programs.
Types of Compensation Provided
The Registrar, reporting to the Principal, will oversee compensation determination, subject to approval by the Board of Directors. Compensation may cover maintenance or accommodation costs, lost time, additional tuition, and travel costs.
Communication with Students about the Student Protection Plan
RGC will keep the plan updated through the college website and will ensure future students are informed through various channels. Staff members are briefed on the plan's implications, and students receive timely notifications of material changes to their programs.