Edinburgh university students plan graduation protests over degree row

Students at the University of Edinburgh are planning peaceful protests at graduations after being told their results will be delayed.

The university said the decision was in response to a UK-wide marking boycott.

It could mean up to 2,000 of its students will graduate without knowing their final mark.

Some have told the BBC they may refuse to shake hands with the principal or wear gowns at their graduation ceremonies in protest.

Laura Brady, who studied French and Italian at Edinburgh, said the ceremonies next month would be an opportunity for students' voices to be heard.

She said: "Things like not wanting to shake hands with the principal - that is definitely something that is widespread across all students over our year, especially because he's the one making decisions.

"So why would we want to shake his hand?"

Asked how students may articulate their frustration, she said: "I think definitely very peacefully, we don't want to ruin the day.

"It'll be interesting to see what our students come up with."

The marking boycott is part of industrial action being taken by members of the University and College Union (UCU) at 145 UK institutions in a dispute over pay and working conditions.

Universities are taking independent decisions about how to minimise the impact of the marking boycott at each institution, so the effect on students will vary.

The University of Cambridge, for example, has confirmed students will not be able to graduate until all their work has been marked.

However on Monday, the University of Edinburgh emailed students in certain schools to say a decision on the outcome of their degree had been delayed.

The majority of students at Edinburgh have already received their marks or have been given a provisional award and will receive their degree classification at a later date.

But a significant proportion of students will graduate with no idea of their mark.

Some students in the languages school fear it could be as late as January before they find out their results - though the university has said it was working on getting results out as soon as possible.

Luciano Sipiano, a fourth year social anthropology and politics student from Italy, said he completely agreed with students who have spoken about protesting at graduation ceremonies.

On shaking the principal's hand, he said: "I wouldn't love to shake hands with him - why would I?

"I've also heard that people don't want to wear the proper gowns and want to wear a white T-shirt that says 'unclassified' or 'pay your staff' - so rebelling through the dress code."

Luciano will graduate with an unclassified degree despite having submitted his dissertation in his first semester - before the marking boycott.

He says he will still attend the graduation ceremony, but believes it is "utterly ridiculous" that he won't have a classified degree.

"I think it's just a slap in the face," he said. "I feel the university at least at the higher levels, they don't care about teaching staff and the students.

"They treat the students as a source of money and they probably conceive of the teaching staff as not worthy of a respectable salary. What I perceive is just a lack of communication between the higher levels and students."

Students who will graduate with no mark previously told the BBC the move has put job applications, internships and work visas at risk.

Laura is in this position - she has a job offer that requires her to have a degree and said she can't currently accept it.

She said: "My biggest concern is the financial side. A lot of people can't go straight back home and live with their parents.

"They have to fend for themselves, earn for themselves and the fact that we don't have a degree result means that we can't apply for the top jobs which means that we then can't afford to live basically.

"I can't currently pay my bills."

In an extensive statement, the University of Edinburgh said it was "deeply sorry" for the uncertainty over students' futures.

It advised students they can request a letter demonstrating they have completed their studies for employers and said it would support students through its careers service.

Peter Mathieson, who is the university's principal and vice chancellor, told the BBC around 6,000 students normally graduate each year and around 4,000 this year are certain to graduate with a degree mark.

He said the university had not chosen this action, and that it had been "forced upon them".

He said: "We are one of 145 employers that are a part of that so we cannot as an institution on our own solve the underlying dispute. There's the underlying dispute which needs to be resolved, hopefully by compromise, hopefully by negotiation."

Asked about the students graduating without knowing their final mark, he said: "We're really sorry they're in this position - they are angry, they're justifiably angry.

"We want them also to be proud of themselves. Despite the pandemic, cost of living problems, the war in Europe, the climate emergency and now industrial action, these students have completed their studies."

"They will go from here eventually with a degree from the University of Edinburgh that will be respected around the world."