Complaints about industrial action 2026-27

Guidance for students

General information

The University remains committed to delivering an educational programme for each student during any period of industrial action, and it will seek to ensure that students remain able to complete their programmes of study and graduate as anticipated.

All reasonable attempts will be made to make contingencies for students to continue their studies without detriment to their learning opportunities and assessment outcomes.

These may include rescheduling lectures or running alternative sessions to cover content, drop-ins for students, agreeing extensions to assessment deadlines, and assessment boards may be given exceptional instructions to ensure students are not disadvantaged or penalised.

If you are seeking to submit a complaint

We are varying the process in line with the Student Complaints Procedure.

Our student complaint procedure allows for an informal stage complaint, a formal stage complaint and a case review.

Exceptionally, and where there is good reason, the University is able to accept formal stage complaints where no informal stage complaint has been lodged.

Complaints regarding Industrial Action will be submitted via a bespoke Formal Complaints form, designed specifically for these Industrial Action Complaints on the basis that 

• information regarding the impact of industrial action is held and available centrally
• the inclusion of an informal stage may cause delays due to the resource implications of responding to a high number of complaints locally in schools
• the central management of formal complaints will provide the opportunity to ensure consistency of handling and approach in resolution

As Schools have to be given time to appropriately mitigate the impact of Industrial Action, complaints regarding the Industrial Action taking place across Semester 1 can be submitted from 18 January 2027 (the bespoke form will go live from this date). The normal 30 day time limits will not apply, and complaints relating to 2026-27 industrial action can be submitted at any point up until 13 September 2027. 

What information will be required on the Industrial Action Formal Complaints form?

This form will ask you to include the following information:

• Modules, teaching, learning opportunities missed or otherwise affected by the industrial action
• Specific impact (eg academic, health and wellbeing, financial) of not receiving the modules, teaching, learning opportunities.
• Clear details of why actions taken by your school to replace any lost teaching or learning, or mitigations put in place for the assessment of the module, were not satisfactory.
• Specific impact of not having access to a University Service.
• Your desired outcome or resolution.
• Supporting evidence should be included where relevant.

Providing this information will allow all factors you deem relevant to the case to be taken account of and also allows you to make an individualised case specific to your situation, including any other impact you feel you have experienced and can evidence.

Should you want independent advice or assistance putting together a case you are encouraged to contact the Student Advice Centre (Students’ Union).