The Office for Students is conducting an investigation into a franchise partnership between Global Banking School (GBS) and Oxford Brookes University.
In an update released on 3 June, the English university regulator said an investigation was opened on 9 January and would look at students registered with Oxford Brookes but taught by the private provider as part of a franchise agreement.
Specifically, the OfS is investigating whether the courses delivered by GBS on behalf of Oxford Brookes are of “high quality” and whether the institutions have effective management and governance arrangements in place.
It will also consider whether the universities have complied with several of the regulator’s conditions of registration, which include ensuring students are being assessed effectively.
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The OfS said its decision to open an investigation means it has “identified potential concerns that require further scrutiny” but does not mean that “any form of non-compliance or wrongdoing has taken place”.
A spokesperson for Oxford Brookes said: “We are aware of the Office for Students’ decision to open an investigation relating to courses delivered through Global Banking School. We remain committed to providing a high-quality experience for all our students.”
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A spokesperson for GBS said the institution was “confident in the quality of what we deliver” and that the “opening of an investigation does not mean any non-compliance or wrongdoing has taken place”.
“GBS voluntarily registered with the OfS in 2019, before it was required to, and has engaged closely and transparently with this investigation since it opened in January. We welcome the scrutiny,” they said, pointing to the institution's silver rating from the OfS for student experience and “well above” average scores on the National Student Survey.
“We are not complacent. We will keep working constructively with the OfS to strengthen our provision further. But we are proud of who we teach and what we help them achieve, and we are glad to have our work examined.”
Data previously shared by the OfS highlights the growth of franchise provision at GBS in recent years.
In 2023-24, students being taught by GBS accounted for 22 per cent of all those enrolled in franchise programmes.
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The 32,110 franchise students at GBS that year represented a 35 per cent rise from its student numbers the previous year and a 500 per cent increase on three years prior.
GBS operates 10 campuses in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, offering courses in subject areas including business and finance, health and social care, and construction management.
University partners listed on its website include Oxford Brookes, Bath Spa University, Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of Suffolk.
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GBS is registered with the OfS, but does not have the power to award its own degrees.
The investigation comes amid ongoing scrutiny of franchise partnerships in higher education, after evidence emerged in recent years of non-genuine students enrolling on subcontracted courses to access student loans.
The government has been clear that it intends to crack down on abuse of the franchise system, and all franchise providers with over 300 students will have to register with the OfS by 1 July 2026.
In May 2025, Leeds Trinity University became the first to receive a fine from the regulator over the way it managed its franchise partnerships.
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