News article
Industrial action: Senate takes steps to ensure the academic standards of degrees
Campus in late Spring
The ongoing industrial action affecting the higher education sector was called over national issues of pay and conditions, and is happening at around 150 universities across the UK. The University of Sussex respects colleagues’ right to strike to improve pay and working conditions, however the University is deeply concerned about the impact of the current marking and assessment boycott on our students.
In November 2022, the Office for Students made its expectations clear that universities must take all reasonable steps to avoid or limit disruption to students attributable to industrial action.
On 27 April 2023, the University Senate, the body responsible for academic standards and the regulation of academic matters, voted to allow the use of interim regulations, if necessary, until the end of the 2022/23 academic year to achieve this end.
These interim regulations give the University some flexibility to progress and graduate students without compromising academic standards, and this is our priority. All degrees continue to need to meet external academic and professional standards.