Queen's University Belfast students protest allocation of provisional results
- Published
Students gathered outside Queen's University on the day that provisional degree qualifications were released
Queen's University Belfast students have held a protest after it emerged that some final-year students won't find out how they have done in their degrees due to staff industrial action.
A marking and assessment boycott by the Universities and Colleges Union led to the allocation of provisional marks.
Some students expecting to get their degree classification on Thursday don't know if they are going to get one.
They will graduate, but may not be awarded their degree title.
Neither will they have their result or classification confirmed.
Earlier this week it was announced that 759 students would be affected.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at universities across the UK have been engaged in long-running industrial action over pay, working conditions and pensions.
This has included strikes by some staff at universities, including in Northern Ireland.
A group of affected students organised Thursday's event in Belfast to call for a resolution to the dispute and for assurances that they will be awarded their degrees.
Sophia Kamal (20) and Solyane Michaut (21) were part of the group organising the protest. Both will graduate without a degree classification
International Relations and Conflict Studies graduate Sophia Kamal said that the past few years had been hard on students. The current graduating cohort has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing UCU strike action, she said.
"We worked really hard the last three years and so did our lecturers, to get across all of the obstacles that were in place," said Sophia.
She said it was "painful" to be awarded degrees with provisional classifications.
"That's all we are getting from all the work that we've put into this degree and all the hard times that we've been through," she said.
Solyane Michaut, who studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics, said students were not happy about the way they had been affected.
"We shouldn't have to be here. We shouldn't have to be worrying. We should be relaxing, having our final classifications and degree ensured," she said.
"It's something that could have been prevented - at least, that's how we feel."
'Incredibly worried'
Twenty-three year-old law student Jess Crisp has been told no marks have been awarded for two of her modules. She requires both marks to secure a qualifying law degree.
"I am allowed to graduate but will not get a classification or a degree title, so I am effectively being given a certificate of participation on my graduation day," said Jess.
Jess Crisp is one of the 759 students affected by the outcome of the marking and assessment boycott
Jess suffers with endometriosis and was hospitalised at the beginning of her final year. She considered deferring but ultimately decided to "push through".
"I did all of my essays and exams on my sick bed or in hospital but realistically I would have been better off deferring, because then I wouldn't be in this mess," she said.
"I'm incredibly worried about moving on to a masters programme, although I have been told not to worry and that we won't be adversely effected."
Many students are concerned about the impact this will have on their futures.
Twenty-year-old Solyane moved to Northern Ireland from France to complete her undergraduate degree at Queen's. She has applied for a masters at a French university but is now concerned that she may not be able to meet the admissions criteria.
"They had no idea that it was a UK-wide dispute," Solyane said.
History and Politics student Niamh McCann was also affected; she said it "feels like a complete let-down".
"I feel that not being able to specify what degree classification I have received may hinder job prospects. I am on track for a 2:1 but the dissertation can make a significant difference to this," she said.
The 29-year-old, who quit full-time work to pursue an undergraduate degree, said this outcome feels "bitterly disappointing".
Support from the university
Queen's University maintains that it has communicated extensively with students individually and collectively
Although Solyane praised the communication and support the group has received from senior management at the university, a number of students feel that there has been a lack of transparency throughout the process.
"There was absolutely no forward thinking there. Communication and action was left until the last possible moment. I am so let down by a university that prides itself on educational esteem and success," said Niamh.
A spokesperson for the university said that their ability to communicate with students had been hindered by the work of exam boards.
They added that it was only once this work had been completed that "the full impact became known".
"We proactively shared any information we had as soon as possible and have worked relentlessly to limit the impact of this action and will continue to do so," the spokesperson said.
Worried about prospects
The majority of affected students are worried about the impact this will have on their future prospects.
"We have been engaging with employers to ensure that the pending degree classification will not affect employment prospects," the university spokesperson said.
They added that this is a UK wide dispute, with a number of other universities affected, which Queen's expects will "greatly" reduce the prospect of students being disadvantaged in the job market.
A UCU spokesperson told BBC News NI they were "angered at the continuing lack of progress in resolving a pay dispute that has been ongoing for five years".
They said union members were "desperate for a solution".
The Queen's University spokesperson said: "We have made various attempts to suspend or end this action, with offers that have been rejected. We will continue to try to find a resolution locally as far as possible, within the context of this being a national dispute."