The university stopped providing clinical placements as learning on many courses moved online, leaving students without vital practical experience.
A university student has been awarded compensation for lost teaching time during the first coronavirus lockdown in England.
The unnamed University has been ordered to pay £5,000 to an international medical student who pays course fees of £38,000.
Due to the pandemic, the university stopped providing clinical placements as learning on many courses moved online, leaving students without vital practical experience.
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) said the award was due to the “severe disappointment and inconvenience” the student experienced because the final year of studies had been “less valuable” than expected.
The OIA is an independent body that reviews student complaints about universities and other higher education providers in England and Wales under the Higher Education Act 2004.
Last year, it received 2,604 complaints, 500 of which related to educational experiences during lockdown.
Among them was one student studying for a master’s degree in healthcare, who was awarded £1,500 for the “inconvenience and significant disappointment” they experienced due to the cancellation of a lab-based research project, meaning the individual had lost out on practical experience and was left at a disadvantage when applying for jobs.
Another, who missed out on 14 hours of learning time because of industrial and coronavirus disruption was given £200.
One student had the penalty they had been landed with for breaching social distancing rules lifted after the OIA branded it “harsh”.
However, some claims were rejected.
A student was refused a refund after paying a university for accommodation in three installments before the start of lockdown.
Independent adjudicator Felicity Mitchell said: “The case summaries reflect the hugely challenging and complex situations that students and providers have faced as a result of the pandemic.
“Where possible we try to reach a settlement, and we are pleased that in many cases providers and students have been very open to this.
“The summaries illustrate our approach to deciding what is fair and reasonable in these kinds of situations. We hope they will be helpful to providers and students.”
The group Universities UK said students who feel they have a complaint should approach their university in the first instance.
Speaking to the BBC, a spokeswoman said: “Universities are developing plans to support students to have the fullest possible experience when they return to campuses.”
Source: The i
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