Academic Issues

The Advice Service can help students with a number of academic issues.

• Academic Reviews
• Academic Appeals
• Complaints
• Disciplinary Issues
• Disciplinary Appeals
• Plagiarism
• Independent Adjudicator

Academic Reviews

If you are not happy with any academic result, you can request a review of the marks by approaching your programme director or head of school.

Appeals

If you are not happy with the outcome of a disciplinary hearing, a progress committee or you are being suspended or excluded from your course, you have the right of appeal.

The Advice Service can help you prepare an appeal, even if we have not been involved in your case up to that point. In addition, an adviser will probably be able to attend any hearing with you to provide representation and moral support.

You can find the Academic Appeals regulations and more details at:

• Student Net - Formal Procedures
• Look for: 'Academic Appeals', 'Regulation XIX: Academic Appeals' and 'Academic Appeal Form'

Complaints

If you wish to complain about any aspect of the University's service there is a procedure you should follow. The Advice Service can help you prepare a complaint and guide you in how to follow the procedure laid down by the University (Regulation XVIII). There is a complaints form you can download at:

• Student Net - Formal Procedures
• Look for: 'Complaints', 'Complaints Procedure' and 'Complaints Form'.

Disciplinary Issues

If you are facing a disciplinary hearing you can get advice to help you prepare. In addition, an adviser will probably be able to attend the hearing with you to provide representation and moral support. You can find the regulations and more details at:

• Student Net - Formal Procedures
• Look for: 'Conduct and Discipline of Students' and 'Conduct and Discipline of Students Regulation XVII'

Plagiarism

You may be accused of plagiarism if your work is too similar to that of:

• Another student
• A published work - monograph or article, or any other work which has an author
• Another piece of work done by yourself

In effect, plagiarism is a fancy academic word for copying someone else's work. If you are accused of this then you will probably be called before a disciplinary committee. The Advice Service can help you prepare for this hearing. In addition, an adviser will probably be able to attend the hearing with you to provide representation or moral support.

You can find more details at:

• Student Net - Formal Procedures
• Look for: 'Conduct and Discipline of Students', 'Academic Malpractice' and 'Plagiarism.

Appeals against Disciplinary Issues

If you are facing penalties as a result of a disciplinary hearing, we can help you appeal against any decision made against you.

You can find the Disciplinary regulations at:

• Student Net - Formal Procedures
• Look for: 'Conduct and Discipline of Students' and 'Conduct and Discipline of Students Regulation XVII'

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education

This body operates an independent student complaints scheme. The service is free to students. The Independent Adjudicator is not a regulator but handles individual complaints against higher education institutions.

You must have exhausted all procedures offered by the University before you apply to the Independent Adjudicator.

The Advice Service can help you prepare an application to the Independent Adjudicator, even if we have not been involved in your case up to that point.

Full details of the service offered together with the Scheme Application Form can be found at:

Office of the Independent Adjudicator