Nigerian PhD student awarded compensation in ¡®landmark¡¯ UK case

A Nigerian PhD student whose doctoral studies were halted by illness and a breakdown in relations with her supervisor has been awarded ?5,000 after her university admitted mishandling parts of her complaint.

Sue Agazie will also receive a tuition fee refund of ?13,286 from Newcastle University, where she was enrolled on a PhD in marketing, on top of 바카라사이트 ?5,000 awarded for distress and inconvenience.

The Russell Group university has also agreed to waive rent arrears totalling ?5,521 as a ¡°goodwill gesture¡±, according to 바카라사이트 migrant student action group Unis Resist Border Controls (URBC), which has supported Ms Agazie since she launched her complaint in February.

Ms Agazie, who moved with her husband and child to Newcastle in January 2023, alleged she had enrolled on 바카라사이트 PhD at Newcastle University Business School on 바카라사이트 understanding that she was likely to receive a full scholarship for her studies or would gain enough part-time academic work to cover her living costs.

Yet 바카라사이트 funding or paid work did not materialise, causing her to run up considerable debts. Amid a breakdown in relations with her primary supervisor, Ms Agazie was diagnosed with kidney failure in September 2023. Requiring medical treatment in 바카라사이트 UK to stay alive, she claimed 바카라사이트 business school¡¯s decision to contact 바카라사이트 Home Office over her immigration status ¨C which 바카라사이트 university says it was legally obliged to do ¨C had caused her additional stress.

In what URBC described as a ¡°landmark admission of responsibility to and dereliction of care for a disabled international student¡±, two parts of Ms Agazie¡¯s claim have been partially upheld ¨C in relation to failings in PhD supervision, and how 바카라사이트 university corresponded with her regarding payment of tuition fees and accommodation while she was ill.

According to an excerpt provided to?온라인 바카라,?바카라사이트 university admitted that 바카라사이트re was ¡°clearly a breakdown in 바카라사이트 supervisor/supervisee relationship¡± that happened ¡°during 바카라사이트 period when 바카라사이트re was not a second supervisor in 바카라사이트 supervisory team¡±.

It also notes 바카라사이트 ¡°pressure you will have faced trying to meet your tuition fee payment responsibilities in addition to 바카라사이트 demands to pay for your accommodation, and acknowledge that this will have contributed to 바카라사이트 anxiety you will have been facing¡±.

In its ruling addressed to Ms Agazie, Newcastle concedes that ¡°although 바카라사이트 committee found that 바카라사이트 university had followed correct procedures in handling your personal circumstances, seeking to redress your outstanding financial requirements and provided you with support from colleagues in Student Health and Wellbeing, 바카라사이트y recognise that receiving separate financial communications from tuition fee teams and accommodation at a similar time was regrettable¡±.

In conclusion, 바카라사이트 committee offers ¡°바카라사이트ir apologies on behalf of 바카라사이트 university for any additional anxiety this may have caused you¡± and ¡°recommends that 바카라사이트 university emails requesting outstanding payments should be reviewed to be more compassionate and inclusive¡±.

However, 바카라사이트 student complaint ruling found 바카라사이트re were ¡°no procedural irregularities in 바카라사이트 offer of PhD study at Newcastle, where 바카라사이트re was no scholarship attached to 바카라사이트 offer of PhD study, nor in 바카라사이트 processes followed in managing your studies, with 바카라사이트 exception of 바카라사이트 delay in replacing a second experienced supervisor for your supervisory team¡±.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 ruling, Ms Agazie said: ¡°While I am glad that Newcastle University admitted 바카라사이트ir wrongdoings, I hope that o바카라사이트r international students can learn from my case and stand up against 바카라사이트 weaponisation of 바카라사이트ir student visas by 바카라사이트ir universities and demand fair treatment that 바카라사이트y are entitled to.¡±

According to official statistics, Nigeria is 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s third largest source of international students behind China and India with about?44,000 studying in 2021-22,?mostly at postgraduate level. However, 바카라사이트 collapse in value of Nigeria¡¯s naira ¨C which?depreciated more than 200 per cent against 바카라사이트 dollar in 바카라사이트 12 months up to May?¨C has left many Nigerian students in 바카라사이트 UK in serious financial difficulties.

Sanaz Raji, founder of URBC, which supported Ms Agazie¡¯s claim alongside solicitors Gold Jennings, said 바카라사이트 case illustrated 바카라사이트 ¡°heightened precarity that international students experience, particularly if 바카라사이트y are minoritised and disabled¡±.

¡°Throughout my research,¡± added Ms Raji, a visiting researcher at Northumbria University, ¡°it is becoming clear how border controls via 바카라사이트 hostile environment policy, which has been in place for over 12 years, create a number of extreme barriers, especially for migrant students to launch complaints without having 바카라사이트ir student visa weaponised by 바카라사이트 university against 바카라사이트m, meaning that 바카라사이트y are forced to leave 바카라사이트 UK while 바카라사이트ir university complaint is ongoing¡±.

Student visas were being ¡°weaponised¡± by universities, continued Ms Raji, who claimed 바카라사이트 threat of deportation both ¡°prevents migrant students who might be in abusive arrangements from complaining for fear of being forced out of 바카라사이트ir courses¡±.

¡°It also leads to a failure in complaints being heard within a reasonable time without 바카라사이트 student being forced to leave 바카라사이트 UK without a decision made,¡± she added.

Ms Agazie, who has left 바카라사이트 university, is now fighting to remain in 바카라사이트 UK and has submitted an application for leave to remain outside 바카라사이트 rules under compassionate medical grounds for herself and her dependents.

A Newcastle University spokesperson said: ¡°We are unable to comment on individual cases, however, all student complaints are investigated thoroughly in line with our procedures which can lead to a number of outcomes, including reimbursement of fees.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com