Regulation B6: Academic Appeals

1. Academic Appeals

1.1 Academic appeals are appeals against:

(a) the recommendations made to Senate by:

i. the Boards of Examiners (see Regulation D.3),

ii. the Research Degrees Committee (see Regulation C10.6 and C10.11), and:

(b) action(s) taken under Regulation B8.1 to B8.4 (Non-engagement with studies or assessments, academic failure, failure to progress, failure to enrol or re-register, and exceeding the maximum period of registration).

1.2 You can only submit appeals relating to (a.i) and (b), above, using the grounds listed in 2.1.

1.3 You can only submit appeals relating to (a.ii), above, using the grounds listed in 3.1 and 3.2.

1.4 You cannot submit an appeal to have any item of assessment re-marked unless there is evidence of procedural irregularity in the marking process.

1.5 You cannot appeal against the academic judgement of examiners.

2. All programmes of study apart from research degrees

2.1 You can only submit appeals relating to paragraphs 1.1.(a.i) and 1.1.(b) above using one or both of the following grounds:

(a) procedural irregularity in the conduct of the assessment or examination board processes or the application of the Student Attendance Monitoring Procedure;

(b) exceptional circumstances, providing that:

i. the circumstances were not already considered by an Exceptional Circumstances Panel;

ii. the circumstances can be verified by appropriate evidence (see University guidelines); and,

iii. there is a valid reason for not submitting an Exceptional Circumstances claim relating to these circumstances (and/or appropriate evidence) by the specified deadline (see Regulation B3).

2.2 You can submit an appeal against:

(a) one or more of the following recommendations made by a Board of Examiners:

i. the mark awarded for any assessment component or the overall module;

ii. failure at any stage of the programme of study;

iii. the overall outcome of a programme of study;

iv. decisions in relation to submitted exceptional circumstances;

v. any action taken as a result of the Student Attendance and Engagement Policy.

(b) a procedural irregularity in the way the University followed and applied its academic regulations and procedures which either affected your ability to undertake assessment(s) or which led to your assessed work not receiving the mark it merited.

(c) the decision to terminate your studies as a result of a perceived failure on your part to enrol or re-register for your studies by the required deadline, or as a result of you exceeding the maximum period of registration allowed for your programme under Regulation C1.

3. Research Degrees

3.1 You can submit appeals against decisions made under Regulation C10.6, or any other decision made by the Research Degrees Committee, before you submit your thesis, using one or more of the following grounds:

(a) procedural irregularities;

(b) exceptional circumstances, providing that:

i. these circumstances were not known by the Board of Examiners/Research Degrees Committee at the time it made its decision,

ii. these circumstances can be verified by appropriate evidence (see University guidelines); and,

iii. there is a valid reason for not notifying the Board of Examiners/Research Degrees Committee in advance in accordance with Regulation B3;

(c) inadequacy of supervision or facilities.

3.2 You can submit appeals against decisions made under Regulation C10.11 using one or more of the following grounds:

(a) procedural irregularities;

(b) exceptional circumstances, providing that:

i. these circumstances were not known by the Board of Examiners/Research Degrees Committee at the time it made its decision;

ii. these circumstances can be verified by appropriate evidence (see University guidelines); and,

iii. there is a valid reason for not notifying the Board of Examiners/Research Degrees Committee in advance in accordance with Regulation B3.

Allegations of inadequate supervision or other arrangements, during the period of study, must be raised at the time and before you submit your thesis (see the Code of Practice on Postgraduate Research Degrees). These allegations do not constitute grounds for appeal after the thesis has been submitted.

4. Procedure for submission of an appeal

4.1 If you are a student on an undergraduate or postgraduate taught programme you must submit your appeal within 10 calendar days of the official notification of either the decision of the Board of Examiners or actions taken under the Student Attendance and Engagement Policy, or within 10 calendar days of the official notification that your studies have been terminated due to failure to enrol or re-enrol for your studies. If you submit your appeal later than 10 days after the official notification of results, your appeal will only be considered if you can provide valid evidence why you were not able to submit within the deadline.

4.2 If you are a Research Postgraduate student, you must submit an appeal within 28 calendar days of the official notification of the decision of the Research Degrees Committee. If you submit your appeal later than 28 days after the official notification of results, your appeal will only be considered if you can provide valid evidence why you were not able to submit within the deadline.

4.3 To appeal you must:

(a) complete and submit the approved Appeal Form with the full details of your appeal, including any evidence.

(b) if you are appealing your final award, you must inform Student Records and Examinations that you are appealing before Senate confirms the decision of the Board of Examiners/Research Degrees Committee. Senate will then delay confirming the Board/Committee's recommendation pending the outcome of your appeal.

4.4 To complete the Appeal Form you must explain the reason for your appeal in full, provide all available supporting evidence, and state the action that you would like the University to consider if your appeal is successful.

4.5 Evidence submitted for an appeal must be attributable, datable, and genuine. It is your responsibility to submit all available evidence with your appeal and failure to provide sufficient evidence is likely to lead to the appeal being rejected. If not all of your evidence is available when you complete the Appeal Form, you must state this on your form and agree a deadline for submission with the appeals administrator. If you do not submit all your evidence by your agreed deadline, the appeal will be considered without it.

5. The Appeals Panel

5.1 Each appeal will be considered by an Appeals Panel.

5.2 The consideration of an appeal will normally consist of a desk-based assessment of available documentation, including: your appeal form with all submitted evidence, information held by us on your student record, previously submitted exceptional circumstances, reports and minutes from the relevant examination board, and on occasion a report we may request from the School or Service, as appropriate. You will be given the opportunity to respond in writing to any reports received from the School or Service where the panel deemed it necessary to request such a report. 

5.3 Once the Panel has reached a decision, based on the available information, you will be informed of this decision in writing, stating the reasons. 

5.4 In some circumstances if your appeal was unsuccessful or if you are not satisfied with the remedy offered by the Appeals Panel, you may be eligible to submit a grievance against the decision (see 9.2 below).

5.5 On occasion and usually only where there is a risk to a student's ongoing registration at the University or their ability to obtain a degree award, the Appeals Panel may, based entirely on their discretion, uphold an appeal notwithstanding the regulations. This discretionary decision would be based on the circumstances of the case which would make rejecting the appeal have a disproportionate effect on the student.

5.6 In exceptional circumstances where the Panel deems the facts relating to a case to be so complex as to prevent the Panel from being able to reach a fair and robust decision based solely on the documentation provided, they may offer the student the opportunity to meet with them informally to provide further information to assist in the consideration of the case.

6. Constitution of the Appeals Panel

6.1 Each meeting of the Appeals Panel convened to consider academic appeals will be composed of two approved and trained members from the pool of appointed members. Panel members will not be allowed to consider appeals from students in their own School. The University recruits and trains members for appeals panels from senior and experienced members of academic and professional services staff. Appointment to the University Appeals Panel will be by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) on the recommendation of a selection panel overseen by the Head of Student Conduct.

7. Function and Powers of Academic Appeals Panels

7.1 The functions of each Academic Appeals Panel will be to:

(a) consider and make decisions on academic appeals by students on taught or research programmes;

(b) act on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor and the Senate in making decisions on the outcomes of appeals in accordance with the regulations;

(c) provide an annual report to Senate on the number and nature of appeals received and their outcomes.

7.2 If an appeal is upheld or partially upheld, the Panel can allow:

(a) progression to the next level of study. This will only be in cases where there has been a procedural irregularity and only where this is allowed by the relevant regulations;

(b) continued study at the same level of study or a repeat year of study (Where the student has already had the one repeat year allowed under Regulation D2, and where the Appeals Panel considers that exceptionally, the student should be offered a further repeat year, this outcome will have to be approved by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) before it can be offered to the student.);

(c) an additional assessment opportunity;

(d) re-instatement as a student;

(e) the marking of a piece of assessment previously submitted or under preparation which has been rejected by the School; or

(f) a course transfer.

7.3 Where this is deemed necessary, the Panel may attach conditions or recommendations to any of the outcomes listed in (a) to (f) above, such as requiring the submission of a medical "fit note" or requiring a period of leave of absence before the student can resume their studies.

7.4 Provided the student has submitted their academic appeal by the prescribed deadline, they should continue to be enrolled, prepare for assessment and progress until the decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is known. This would be on the understanding that any such continuity activities are undertaken only until a formal appeals outcome is recorded on the student's record. Where an appeal is rejected or results in the termination of studies or leave of absence being confirmed, the student will be immediately removed from their programme.

7.5 If the appeal is against the award decision made by the Research Degrees Committee, and the Panel determines that the thesis should be re-examined, the following procedures will normally be followed:

(a) new examiners will be appointed. There will be a minimum of two external examiners. The total number of examiners cannot be less than the original number;

(b) the examiners will be advised that they are conducting a re-examination on appeal but no information will be made available about the previous examination;

(c) the examiners will submit independent reports on the thesis before they examine the student orally, and a joint report after any oral examination;

(d) the reports by the original examiners and by the new examiners shall be considered by the Research Degrees Committee before a final decision is reached.

8. Grievances against appeal decisions

8.1 After completing the appeals procedure you may be eligible to submit a grievance only if your grievance meets one or both of the following criteria:

(a) procedural irregularity in the conduct of the appeal;

(b) there are relevant exceptional circumstances (with verifiable evidence) that you did not include in your original appeal and/or there is new, verifiable evidence (of procedural irregularity or exceptional circumstances) that you could not present in your original appeal. There must be a valid reason for not making the circumstances and/or evidence known at the time.

8.2 Grievances will be considered under the provisions of Ordinance D3: Appeals and Grievances Considered by Council. You must submit a grievance, in writing, within 14 calendar days of the letter informing you of the outcome of your appeal.