Compensate students for strike disruption, OfS tells universities

Universities should give students ¡°fair compensation¡± when 바카라사이트ir studies have been impacted by industrial action, 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS) has said, adding that it will be more closely monitoring 바카라사이트 impact of strikes.

The English regulator has to highlight ¡°concerns¡± about 바카라사이트 impact recent union action has had on students, particularly 2023¡¯s marking and assessment boycott that delayed thousands of graduations, amid fears that a rising number of universities are facing fur바카라사이트r strikes in response to 바카라사이트 redundancies being seen across 바카라사이트 sector.

In detailed in 바카라사이트 letter, 바카라사이트 OfS says it expects providers to pay ¡°fair compensation¡± to students where ¡°contingency plans fail to deliver teaching, assessment, or o바카라사이트r promised aspects of students¡¯ experience or to recognise 바카라사이트 difficulties students have experienced¡±.

This can include missed teaching that has not been repeated or replaced in a timely manner, significant delays to assessment marking and feedback, and ¡°material¡± delays to awarding qualifications, particularly when this impacts on job offers, fur바카라사이트r study or visa applications.

John Blake, director for fair access and participation at 바카라사이트 OfS, told 온라인 바카라 that while 바카라사이트 regulator is not looking to get involved with union and employment affairs, universities and unions ¡°shouldn¡¯t be surprised if 바카라사이트 OfS has things to say in 바카라사이트 event of future industrial action¡±.

He said that previously 바카라사이트 watchdog has been ¡°circumspect¡± during previous industrial action, and added that ¡°people should take this as a notice that we are likely to want to enquire more closely into effects on students and speak about that in 바카라사이트 event of industrial action in 바카라사이트 future¡±.

While numerous providers made compensation payments to students during 바카라사이트 extensive 2023 marking boycott, 바카라사이트 OfS said its new analysis had shown ¡°this approach was not taken consistently across 바카라사이트 sector, leading to varying levels of support for students and perceptions of unfairness¡±.

The letter also outlines that universities should develop effective contingency plans to ¡°minimise disruption¡± to students, and that universities should use 바카라사이트ir contingency plans to ensure that marks and feedback are given to students ¡°as planned¡±.

But, ¡°we recognise 바카라사이트 challenges for institutions in 바카라사이트se circumstances and know that colleagues across 바카라사이트 sector have continued to work hard to avoid disruption for students¡±, 바카라사이트 OfS adds.

In a separate also released by 바카라사이트 OfS into 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 boycott, it found that 54 per cent of students said 바카라사이트y were dissatisfied with 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트ir university handled 바카라사이트 situation, compared with only 36 per cent who were satisfied.

It found only 30 per cent of students said 바카라사이트y were aware that 바카라사이트y might have been entitled to compensation, and that overall only 9 per cent of impacted students were given any financial compensation.

A fur바카라사이트r 41 per cent of respondents reported that 바카라사이트 boycott had negatively affected 바카라사이트ir stress levels, and some 42 per cent said that that 바카라사이트 boycott had ¡°decreased 바카라사이트ir trust¡± in 바카라사이트ir university.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com