You may be aware that the University took the decision to suspend engagement monitoring for the 5 days which were affected by local bus strikes.
Whilst all students were advised to make every effort to attend timetabled classes as standard, we recognise that travel difficulties affected some students.
Engagement Monitoring is an important process that helps us identify students who may need additional support to maintain academic progress, it is important that monitoring is maintained wherever possible. It also ensures the University meets legal obligations to provide attendance data to external agencies such as Student Finance England/Wales, the UKVI/Home Office, and financial sponsors.
Aside from the permitted 5 day exemptions mentioned above (30th/31st Oct and 6/7/8th Nov), students will have been expected to have attended all on campus classes as standard, and this will be the case for any future bus strike action, therefore, students should not expect to use the bus strike as a valid exemption to Engagement Monitoring requirements over this coming period.
It is important that all students engage with their studies in person as expected and make every effort to attend campus.
If you hold a Student Route visa this is particularly important, as it is a condition of your visa that the UKVI expects you to engage with your studies in person. Please ensure that you attend timetabled classes in person in order to meet this condition and enable us to provide evidential data regarding your attended should it be requested from us.
To ensure no opportunities for support are missed, the University will review all student engagement for the current Semester and, if there are concerns about your attendance and engagement for the duration of the semester, you will be invited to a meeting with the Education Journeys Team to discuss this. If you have been experiencing any issues which have been affecting your ability to engage with your studies, this will be an opportunity to make us aware of your situation and to find out what support might be available. We’re here to help you succeed and support you with engaging with your studies – please contact the Education Journeys Team at any time if you have any concerns regarding attendance.
We will be in touch with further updates in due course.
It would be really great if university can ensure that, at least on 1-2 bus reach campus every hour during peak hours. 91, and 92 buses are very important.
Thank you for raising this, we understand the disruption the strike caused many students and staff. As First Bus is a private company, the University isn’t able to influence their staffing or operational decisions during industrial action. However, we are in regular contact with them to understand the impact on students and to relay concerns like yours.
Information may change at short notice, so it is important to regularly check the First Bus website for information as there may be alternative buses stopping out side of the campuses that are running.