Queen’s University notes the decision by UCEA to suspend us for three years after we reached a local arrangement to end the Marking and Assessment Boycott. Our focus has always placed our students first. Our students were one of the first in the UK to have their graduation affected by the UCU marking and assessment boycott. We witnessed at first hand the devastating effect it has had on them and their families. They are a cohort of students who have already studied through the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. This was not the University journey that any of us would have anticipated or wanted for them.

In the absence of any progress being made nationally regarding the industrial action, the local arrangement between Queen’s branch of UCU and the University, allowed us to conduct 22 graduation ceremonies for our students and enable them to celebrate their success with their families and friends. It has also enabled us to provide students awaiting their degree classifications with certainty as to when they will be received. Therefore, we remain convinced that this local arrangement was the correct and most appropriate course of action for our University and our students.

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