Significant number of Durham University students face boycott degree delays

Durham University says it would provide students with their degree classifications "as soon as they are available"

A "significant" number of Durham University students face a delay in receiving their final degree results due to a marking boycott by academics.

It follows action by members of the University and College Union (UCU) in a row over pay and working conditions.

Classifications would be provided "as soon as they are available", the university said.

It has offered further graduation ceremonies for those who cannot receive a final degree for later in the year.

The UCU has called on the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association (UCEA) to get back round the table - the UCEA said it cannot offer any more pay increases.

• What impact will university marking boycott have?

The union has warned it will continue with the boycott until employers make what it called an improved offer on pay and working conditions.

Members began the boycott at 145 universities across the UK on 20 April.

The university said it was "deeply" disappointed some of its staff took park in the boycott

Durham University began publishing exam and assessment results to students on Monday ahead of their graduation ceremonies which start on 29 June and run until 6 July.

All final-year students have been invited to graduation ceremonies at Durham Cathedral in the coming weeks.

Those who cannot receive a final degree will be offered the opportunity to attend another ceremony later in the year.

No official figures on the number of students affected have been released.

The university said it was "deeply disappointing" that the union had implemented action and some of its staff had "chosen to take part".

A spokesperson said: "The majority of Durham's undergraduate students will graduate with a classified degree or an interim award, while, unfortunately, a significant number of students will face delays in receiving all their marks and final classifications.

"We are reassuring our students that any remaining work will be marked as swiftly as possible, and we will provide marks and final classifications as soon as they are available."

Last week, Dr Anthony Freeling, acting vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge, warned that more than half of its undergraduate final-year students were likely to be affected by the boycott.