Students at Edinburgh University have been told their dissertations may not be marked amid a strike by lecturers. PA
Students at Edinburgh University have been told their dissertations may not be marked amid a strike by lecturers. PA
Students at Edinburgh University have been told their dissertations may not be marked amid a strike by lecturers. PA
Students at Edinburgh University have been told their dissertations may not be marked amid a strike by lecturers. PA

Scottish student 'outraged' after university tells him dissertation may never be marked


Laura O'Callaghan
  • English
  • Arabic

A politics student at Edinburgh University has said he is “outraged” over staff’s handling of a planned strike, which means his dissertation may go unmarked.

Ollie Lewis, who is in his final year of studies, said he was informed that his hard work may never be looked at by a lecturer.

The university plans to continue awarding degrees to students without "necessary expertise" due to walkouts, which are taking place across the UK.

Mr Lewis said this policy means his work may have been a waste of time.

“This week I was told that due to industrial action, my 10k word dissertation will probably not be marked ... ever,” he wrote on Twitter.

Mr Lewis said the document took him six months to complete and he is “pretty proud” of it.

But because it may never be graded, the chances of it counting towards the mark he gets on his degree are slim.

“I know people revising for exams and writing essays right now, and they have no clue if they will be marked,” he said.

Mr Lewis, who works as a freelance journalist, told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme he was outraged by the way in which his university dealt with the strike, saying staff were guilty of a “betrayal of trust”.

He said he and his peers received an email from senior leaders on April 18 telling them to continue to work as normal and submit assessments on time.

“If that email was sent with the knowledge that some students’ work might not be marked, I think that is outrageous,” he told the radio programme.

The marking boycott is the latest stage of strike action by members of the University and College Union (UCU) at 145 institutions across the UK.

Walkouts began on April 20 and will continue until lecturers receive an improved offer from employers.

Mr Lewis, from Cambridge, said his £9,250 a year studies could essentially go to waste amid the uncertainty.

“After four years of studying and committing to pay over £37,000 to this university, not marking our final work is the ultimate slap in the face,” he told the PA agency.

“If students graduate without all our work being marked, it could run the risk of our degrees being devalued. The university has miscalculated here.”

Meanwhile, more than 500 Edinburgh University staff have written an open letter to the institution over concerns about the policy of awarding students without “necessary expertise”.

They stressed that they are “dismayed and alarmed” at the university's handling of the marking boycott.

“We are especially troubled by the impact on final year undergraduates, who may find a large proportion of their honours assignments do not contribute to their final degree classification," they wrote.

"For some, this includes their dissertation, which ought to be the capstone of their degree."

David Farrier, one of the signatories, tweeted that the proposals "threaten to undermine the integrity of our degrees" and added: "Our students deserve better."

A university representative said: “The university has robust measures in place to reduce the impact of industrial action and we are making every effort to provide results, degree award outcomes and progression decisions to students by the published timelines.”

They added that “temporary variations” are in place to “ensure academic standards are not compromised”.

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Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020

Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.

The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020. 

Results

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3.15pm: Dubai Real estate Centre – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Celtic Prince, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly

3.45pm: Jebel Ali Sprint by ARM Holding – Listed (TB) Dh500,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Khuzaam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

4.15pm: Shadwell – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Tenbury Wells, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer

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5.15pm: Jebel Ali Racecourse – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Rougher, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

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Countries offering golden visas

UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.

Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.

Italy
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Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.

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Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence. 

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Founder: Badr Ward

Launched: 2014

Employees: 60

Based: Abu Dhabi

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Funding to date: $15 million

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How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
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MATCH INFO

Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern:
 Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)

Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Asia Cup Qualifier

Venue: Kuala Lumpur

Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September

Fixtures:

Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore

Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman

Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal

Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore

Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong

Thu Sep 6: Final

 

Asia Cup

Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Schedule: Sep 15-28

Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

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Two products to make at home

Toilet cleaner

1 cup baking soda 

1 cup castile soap

10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice) 

Method:

1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.

2. Add the essential oil to the mix.

Air Freshener

100ml water 

5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this) 

Method:

1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.

2. Shake well before use. 

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

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Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

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Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

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The biog

Year of birth: 1988

Place of birth: Baghdad

Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany

Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading

 

 

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Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Match on BeIN Sports

Updated: May 12, 2023, 8:47 AM