Part IV Miscellaneous and general

Further and higher education institutions: England and Wales

39 Unauthorised use of “university” in title of educational institution, etc.

1

A relevant institution in England or Wales shall not, when making available (or offering to make available) educational services, do so under a name which includes the word “university” unless the inclusion of that word in that name is—

a

authorised by or by virtue of any Act or Royal Charter, or

b

approved by the Privy Council for the purposes of this section.

2

A person carrying on such an institution shall not, when making available (or offering to make available) educational services through the institution, use with reference either to himself or the institution a name which includes the word “university” unless the inclusion of that word in that name is authorised or approved as mentioned in subsection (1).

3

Subsection (1) or (2) applies where the educational services are made available, or (as the case may be) the offer to make such services available is made, in any part of the United Kingdom.

4

For the purposes of subsection (1) or (2) the inclusion of the word “university” in any name shall not be taken to be authorised by or by virtue of a Royal Charter relating to a university by reason of any provision of the Charter with respect to—

a

the affiliation or association of other institutions to the university, or

b

the accreditation by the university of educational services provided by other institutions.

5

In approving the inclusion of the word “university” in any name for the purposes of this section the Privy Council shall have regard to the need to avoid names which are or may be confusing.

6

The Privy Council’s power of approval under subsection (1) or (2) shall not be exercisable in a case where the inclusion of the word “university” in the name in question may be authorised by virtue of any other Act or any Royal Charter.

7

In this section— “relevant institution” means an institution within the further education sector or the higher education sector as defined by section 91(3) or (5) of the M1Further and Higher Education Act 1992; “university”, in the context of the reference in subsection (4) to a Royal Charter relating to a university, has the meaning given by section 90(3) of that Act.