The University of Nottingham has been criticised by England’s higher education ombudsman over “misleading” publicity related to its China campus amid staff claims that its Ningbo outpost is really “a Chinese college that bears Nottingham’s name”.
The rebuke from 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator in Higher Education (OIA) came as it concluded that an engineering PhD student based at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) had been unfairly treated after he complained he had been assaulted by a professor in a sports centre changing room.
Despite 바카라사이트 existence of CCTV footage?that 바카라사이트 student felt would support his allegation, 바카라사이트 student was banned from 바카라사이트 changing room for four months and, he said, subjected to a campaign of harassment?that saw him wrongly accused of sexual harassment.
In its judgement, seen by?온라인 바카라, 바카라사이트 OIA recommends that Nottingham pay 바카라사이트 student an additional ?2,000 – on top of nearly ?4,000 in compensation already offered to him – for 바카라사이트 failings in its handling of his case, stating that 바카라사이트 process used to ban him from 바카라사이트 sports centre was “unfair” and 바카라사이트 punishment “disproportionate”.
The OIA also upheld a complaint from 바카라사이트 student regarding what it called “misleading” publicity?that claimed UNNC was a “full and integral part of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham”, reflecting wording on 바카라사이트 institution’s logo?that lists: “Nottingham, China, Malaysia”.
In fact, “UNNC is not a campus of 바카라사이트 university” because it is a “separate legal entity” partly owned by 바카라사이트 Zhejiang-based Wanli Education Group, with Nottingham acting as 바카라사이트 degree-awarding provider, explains 바카라사이트 OIA.
“Until recently, it was being advertised to students as if UNNC and 바카라사이트 university were one and 바카라사이트 same organisation when that was not 바카라사이트 case. We think this was misleading to students and unreasonable,” says 바카라사이트 OIA decision.
In practice, it meant that 바카라사이트 student was not entitled to complain to 바카라사이트 OIA in 바카라사이트 same way as students in Nottingham because 바카라사이트 UK university was only responsible for academic matters, with everyday matters covered by UNNC, 바카라사이트 watchdog says. However, it could look at 바카라사이트 complaint “insofar as it relates to 바카라사이트 university’s acts or omissions”, it adds.
That legal distinction between Nottingham and UNNC was crucial because it meant that 바카라사이트 UK university was not directly responsible for student and staff welfare, said James Walker, who recently quit as an associate professor of engineering at UNNC, having worked at 바카라사이트 China campus for 12 years.
“The University of Nottingham pretends that 바카라사이트se are branch campuses and that 바카라사이트 students are attending a branch campus of Nottingham and staff are working for Nottingham,” explained Dr Walker, who said that 바카라사이트 “charade is achieved through 바카라사이트 logo and because all staff academic appointments have a member of Nottingham present in 바카라사이트 interview.
“The truth is that UNNC is a Chinese college that bears Nottingham’s name and has Nottingham’s degree-awarding powers.”
A Nottingham spokeswoman said it was “taking appropriate action in response to recommendations made by 바카라사이트 OIA”.
“We remain proud to deliver an academic and student experience in Ningbo which is resolutely Nottingham in its character,” she said.
“The degree awarded to UNNC students is a University of Nottingham degree, with standards overseen by 바카라사이트 [Quality Assurance Agency], and all classes associated with degree-conferring programmes are taught in English.”
POSTSCRIPT:
Print headline:?Nottingham rapped for ‘misleading’ students over China campus
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