The Student Progress Team provides students and staff with advice and guidance regarding the University policies and procedures that are in place to enable the University to act where a concern is raised about a student's academic progress, conduct or membership, or by a student who wishes to make a change to their status, submit an appeal or complain to the University.
The Student Progress Team administers all change of status requests for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students studying at the University. These include:
*Students not eligible for immediate reinstatement, may apply for readmission the following year.
Departments are required to check these requests before being processed by the Student Progress Team.
Guidance for Departments is being developed by the Student Progress Team and will be available from this webpage soon.
The Student Progress Team also closes student records once a student is required to withdraw, as instructed by the Finance Section (Student in Debt), International Services (Immigration), the Registration Office (Non-Registration after 28 Days), a Progress Committee, an Academic Offences Committee or a Student Conduct Committee.
The University expects all students to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity in relation to coursework, examinations and other assessed work, and to follow our conventions for academic writing (including appropriate referencing of sources) and ethical considerations. If a student does not meet these expectations, then this is regarded as an academic offence.
Departments, Schools and Partner Institutions are responsible for appointing a member of staff to carry out the initial investigations for all academic offences. Serious allegations, including those relating to formal examinations or made against postgraduate research students, can be escalated to the Faculty Deans via the Student Progress Team. Fixed penalties apply to all Academic Offences.
The Student Progress Team maintains oversight of the procedures and can provide advice to Departments, Partner Institutions, students and the Students’ Union. The Student Progress Team administers the majority of cases escalated to the Faculty, with support from the Partnerships Office or Postgraduate Research Education Team where appropriate.
Under the Student Engagement Policy, Departments and Schools are responsible for monitoring, understanding and maximising the engagement of their students with their studies and for taking proactive steps where there is evidence of lower engagement than expected. Where concerns remain about the student’s academic progress, the Departments and Schools can refer the student to the Student Progress Team. The Student Progress Team will contact students to discuss their engagement and to offer further routes to solution and support.
In relation to this work, the Student Progress Team:
Email: studentprogress@essex.ac.uk
Students who are dissatisfied with the outcome of a Board of Examiners, submit their appeals to the University via the Student Progress Team or Postgraduate Research Education Team. The Student Progress Team maintains oversight of the procedures for taught students and can provide advice to Departments, Partner Institutions, students and the Students’ Union. The Student Progress Team administers the majority of appeals, with support from the Partnerships Office and Postgraduate Research Education Team.
Appeals submitted by Postgraduate Research students against a Progress Board or a PGR Examiners' decision, are administered by the Postgraduate Research Education team.
If you have any queries regarding appeals, you can contact us on appeals@essex.ac.uk
The Code of Student Conduct sets out the standards of behaviour that the University expects from students and the action that will be taken where behaviour falls below these standards. The Code forms part of a range of measures the University has in place to safeguard and promote a safe culture across the University community and to enable our students to realise their full potential in a safe, healthy and inclusive environment.
The Student Progress Team co-ordinates all aspects of the administration and delivery of the Code of Student Conduct across all university campuses. The Conduct Investigator reviews all alleged breaches of the Code of Student Conduct. This Code does not apply to Partner Institutions. Students may be temporarily excluded by the Registrar and Secretary during an investigation, whilst serious allegations are referred to Student Conduct Committees for consideration.
Staff that are concerned about a student's conduct can submit a referral form to the Student Progress Team for investigation.
The University is a large community engaged in many activities of both an academic and non-academic nature. From time to time, student’s may feel dissatisfied with some aspect of their dealings with the University and, when that happens, it is important that the issue is dealt with constructively and as quickly as possible without risk of disadvantage or recrimination.
In the first instance, complaints are referred to the Head of the relevant Department, Faculty or Professional Service, with the aim of achieving early resolution. If a student remains dissatisfied after this, they may submit a formal complaint to the Student Progress Team. Complaints regarding Partner Institutions, the Students' Union and Third Party service providers should be submitted to the provider directly in the first instance.
SU Advice provides students with independent advice and guidance, and representatives are permitted to accompany students to meetings at any stage of the complaints procedure.
The Student Progress Team are responsible for administering DBS checks for students of the University who will be working with children or vulnerable adults as part of a work placement, their research activity or a volunteering opportunity. The Student Progress Team manages the day to day processing of students’ DBS checks, answering queries from staff and students, and also updating the policies and guidance. Some non-mandatory DBS Checks may require a fee from the student.
The Student Progress Team also administer the University’s Membership policy relating to students that have criminal convictions. Membership panels determine whether a conviction would prevent a student from completing the course they are applying to study.
The University’s Fitness to Practise Procedure applies to students who are on courses such as nursing, social work, or one of the allied health professions where successful completion of the course can lead to registration with a professional and/or regulatory body. These courses usually require that students undertake practical professional placements. Students are notified on registration if their course of study is subject to the terms of this procedure.
Any concerns raised about a student under the Fitness to Practise Procedures are initially considered and investigated within the relevant School or Department by their Professional Suitability Group (PSG). If, following investigations, the PSG decide there is a case to be answered, they will make a referral to a Fitness to Practise Committee via the Student Progress Team.
The Student Progress Team maintains oversight of the procedure and provides support and guidance to Schools/Departments, students and the Students’ Union about its operation. This includes:
The Fitness to Practise Procedure outlines what might constitute a concern, the full process and timescales for consideration of a case, the process for excluding or suspending a student under the Procedure, and guidelines for the operation of a Professional Suitability Group.
The University subscribes to the independent scheme for the review of student complaints and appeals. If students are dissatisfied with the outcome of an appeal or formal complaint, they may be able to apply for a review of their case to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) providing that the case is eligible under its Rules. All cases must have exhausted the University’s internal procedures before the OIA will consider them.
All students have twelve months from the date of their Completion of Procedures letter to take their case to the OIA. When a student submits their request for a review to the OIA, the University is asked to supply all relevant casework papers and published procedures for the case as well as an overview/timeline as appropriate within a set deadline of usually 4 weeks.