Student Protection Plan

As a provider of higher education, the University is required by the Office for Students to publish a Student Protection Plan. The plan sets out the University’s assessment of, and mitigation for, the risks which could affect the continuation of study for its students. Details of the University’s Student Protection Plan are set out below. 

Assessment of the range of risks to the continuation of study for students, how those risks may differ based on students’ needs, characteristics and circumstances, and the likelihood that those risks will crystallise.

The University closely monitors risks which could affect the continuation of study for our students, and is confident in the effectiveness of arrangements for managing those risks.

We have identified three main risks to the continuation of study:

1. the risk of the University itself being unable to continue operating;
2. the risk of a particular school or department being closed because it is no longer viable;
3. the risk of a particular programme being withdrawn, whether because it loses a critical mass of students or because of a loss of specialist expertise. 

The likelihood that the University will be unable to operate is negligible. The University is financially robust, and has a strong record in financial management: our Annual Report and Accounts for 2016-17 show an underlying surplus of £9.9 million on revenues of £675 million and reserves of £750 million. This financial strength reflects strong academic performance over many years, with buoyant student recruitment and increasing research income and impact. Our senior management team closely monitors risks to the University’s academic and financial sustainability, taking action as necessary to mitigate risks; and risk management is in turn monitored by the Audit and Risk Committee, which also drills down into detailed action plans to a rolling programme.

Although there might be some restructuring of academic schools from time to time, the risk of a school or department being closed altogether is very low. Our schools are mature and well-established, and their academic and financial sustainability is reviewed through the University’s annual Integrated Planning Exercise (IPE). Through this robust planning process, areas of potential risk are identified, and early action is taken as appropriate. The University closely monitors changes in the higher education landscape, ensuring that programmes of study remain contemporary and that the requirements of accrediting bodies are met.

Changes to the portfolio of programmes offered by the University are inevitable from time to time, whether for academic or other reasons. If a programme of study has to be withdrawn, the change would be carefully and proactively managed to avoid any detriment to students registered on the programme.

The measures that the University has put in place to mitigate those risks that it considers to be reasonably likely to crystallise.

The University has not identified any risks which it currently considers to be ‘reasonably likely to crystallise’. The most likely risk is to the continuation of specific programmes, and any such change would be managed in accordance with the University’s regulations and procedures. The University’s general policy is to ‘teach out’ programmes so that students registered on those programmes can complete their studies.  In the very unlikely event that this is not possible, the University will look to give students early notification and minimise the impact of change through offering alternative programmes of study or, where it believes that there is a fair case to do so, compensation. This applies to registered students studying with an approved partner institution as part of their Leeds degree in the UK or overseas and to international students studying at Leeds.

The University’s general position is set out in the Student Contract, available on the University’s policies and processes page.

Information about the University’s arrangements in the event that it is no longer able to preserve continuation of study.

In the event that the University is unable to deliver teaching to students registered on a particular course prior to its commencement, tuition fees and other relevant costs would be refunded at the earliest possible stage. In the event that the University is unable to continue to teach students registered on a particular programme, suitable alternative arrangements would be offered to affected individuals or the programme would be ‘taught out’. The University’s primary concern in such circumstances would be to minimise detriment to affected students.

In the unlikely event that such suitable alternative arrangements could not be offered or that the programme could not be ‘taught out’, the University would provide appropriate compensation to affected individuals. As set out above, the University has significant financial resources which would be sufficient to cover refunds and compensation.

Any registered student who was dissatisfied with the arrangements offered has recourse to the University’s Students Complaints Procedure. Under this procedure, complaints are investigated fairly and thoroughly, and where appropriate, compensation, refunds or goodwill payments are offered.

The University’s Professional Indemnity policy protects the institution for its liability at law for damages and claimant’s costs and expenses in respect of claims arising out of any act of neglect, error or omission. The policy also covers breach of contract, dishonest or fraudulent acts by a member of staff and liability for damages and costs in respect of any complaint made against the University as a result of any decision by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. The limit on the policy is £10m.

Information about how the University will communicate with students about its Student Protection Plan.

This Student Protection Plan will be published on the Student Education website.

While not set out in a single document, the rights and protections which might typically be provided through student protection plans are enshrined in University policies and procedures and reflected in the Student Contract. These documents are available on the University’s website and some are provided directly to students. In particular, the Student Contract is sent to all students during the admissions process and referred to in broader University literature.

The University will continue closely to monitor external risks and review the Student Protection Plan as appropriate, but in any case no less than every three years. Representatives of Leeds University Union (LUU) will be consulted on future iterations of the Student Protection Plan as part of the process of review.

For any inquiries please email the Governance and Compliance team.

Last updated: July 2018