OfS notified as Greater Manchester probes ‘concerning’ claims

“Extremely concerning” reports about alleged financial misconduct at the University of Greater Manchester have been passed to the sector regulator, according to an education minister.

The institution – which recently rebranded from its former University of Bolton moniker – has been the subject of reporting surrounding its use of public funds and relationships with external businesses.

Neil O’Brien, the Conservative shadow education minister, raised the case during a debate about the coming tuition fee rise in the House of Commons on 24 February.

“Speaking of value for money, one university that will benefit from these regulations is the University of Greater Manchester,” O’Brien said.

“The minister will have seen the extremely concerning reports in the press, particularly The Manchester Mill, about the attempts to pay huge sums of what is effectively taxpayers’ money to relatives of the university’s managers, and to what appears to be a shell company in Casablanca.

“Can the minister assure me that he is investigating those concerning allegations?”

Responding on behalf of the government, Stephen Morgan, a minister in the Department for Education, said the matter was “for the university, but we understand that the Office for Students – the independent regulator for HE in England – has been notified of this case”.

“The university is conducting its own investigation and it would not be appropriate to comment any further at this stage,” he added.

The University of Greater Manchester confirmed in a statement that an “independent investigation was under way into this matter and until we have the outcome of that investigation, we are making no further comment”.

“We have repeatedly asked that The Mill share whatever evidence they have to assist with that investigation but, to date, they have not done so.”

The OfS did not respond to requests for comment about its involvement.

Bolton’s name change – widely seen as a move to attract more international students – proved controversial before it was approved by the regulator late last year.

Neighbouring institutions including the University of Manchester objected on the grounds that the proposed name would be confusing for prospective students.

The institution is already subject to “enhanced monitoring” by the OfS because of concerns about the quality of some aspects of its business and management courses.

tom.williams@timeshighereducation.com