The relevant area of the Ferl Resource Bank is Legal Issues. This includes articles, useful links, and presentations on key aspects of legislation.

There is a whole raft of legislation that applies to further education institutions. This section does not attempt to cover all the issues, nor does it endeavour to give professional legal advice. Instead, it will provide you with a summary of the main legislative issues that affect the further education sector, and in particular where it has implications for commonly used technology. Topics dealt with include equal opportunities, such as racial equality, gender equality and disability; data protection and freedom of information; and copyright and plagiarism. It also gives a brief introduction to acceptable use policies, and summarises all of the above in a useful checklist. Further resources are referenced throughout the text, and links to relevant UK Acts of Parliament are supplied where possible.

Probably the most useful resource when compiling this outline, and the most useful resource for anyone reading this, is the JISC Legal Information Service. Their website provides guidance on:

  • Data Protection
  • Freedom of Information
  • Human Rights
  • Disability and the Law
  • IP Rights
  • ISP Liability
  • E-security
  • Cyber-crime

Each topic consists of a general introduction to the area, an overview of the law, and analysis about how the legislation affects the FE and HE sectors. The JISC have published widely in these areas, and useful JISC documents are referenced at appropriate points throughout the following text.