Students graduate without degrees - ‘was university worth it?’

Worrying about the grade you might be awarded in your degree is not unusual. But this year students across the country are facing the worry of not getting a grade at all.
Since April, university lecturers have been taking part in a marking boycott as part of a dispute over pay, working conditions and pensions.
Kiran Moodley has been to Edinburgh to meet some of the thirteen thousand students caught in the middle.

[@abbyc.4215]

These students' lives should not be put on hold. Pay the educators more so that they can perform their job duties WITH PAY instead of for free. They do not deserve to be stuck in this crossfire, especially with so much at stake, like visa statuses, grad school, and job pursuits. I can't even begin to imagine the stress that they must be under. Prayers!

[@qibriti3220]

yes, the university can end this... they have money for bloated admin salaries and a bunch of other nonsense but not for the profs that are the backbone of the institution.

[@lewismcelroy6946]

this is why uni is a scam

[@DirkPeterson-uh6uu]

This is just a route to allow a million indians to come here and settle every year .no hatred but look around .

[@davidchurch3472]

University authorities have broken binding legal consumer contracts, and the Chancellors should be sacked and fined. Students should now completely boycott all UK Univerisities, and demand refunds of all fees and associated expenses. There must be some law students there somewhere.

[@Chris-rb8ox]

The degrees are only being delayed, not cancelled altogether. They'll get them still, albeit later than they should. The students should of course be compensated, but 30k+ compensation for a delayed degree is a little over the top.

[@solothebest1]

@@Chris-rb8oxif they can’t pay university staff based on their value I don’t think they’ll pay compensation for students who were affected

[@Zenocius]

Only UK universities worth going to are Cambridge and Oxford

[@Chris-rb8ox]

@@solothebest1 oh yeah i doubt they will pay, but they definitely should

[@solothebest1]

@@Chris-rb8ox I think we both know they won’t 😂

[@momurda6]

From when it was 1.2k to now 9k is insane. And theres still pay disputes. Shocking. Wheres the money going?

[@belfastclrq]

To a bunch of middle-management positions, marketing teams, and all sorts of vampire divisions that suck universities dry even though they have little to do with the actual education.

[@lucieirl]

Loads spent on fancy new accommodation fancy STEM and Law buildings (in my experience) and padding their own pockets as a ‘well done’ for navigating Covid .. energy costs this past winter didn’t help either

[@GoGoTwice]

Putting students in the middle is NOT the answer, shame on everyone involved. It gives you a bad name, as well as the university for the long term.

[@ManducaFlown]

What a disgrace. Not to mention: people will think twice about bothering to spend the money and the time and will instead opt to get a job. Probably a sensible option.

[@Chris-rb8ox]

Deferred just means delayed by the way, not cancelled altogether. They'll still get their degree.

[@Krytern]

@@Chris-rb8ox Their life shouldn't be on hold either way.

[@Chris-rb8ox]

@@Krytern yeah i agree, they should definitely be compensated for that somehow

[@nutyyyy]

Quite right. I went to Edinburgh Uni since my fees were paid, but it blows my mind that international students will spend so much money to come here.

[@kennybrhouston]

Pay your tutors properly and provide an actual career path, that's more than gig work

[@BDeVizio]

I'm in the same boat down here at the University of Sussex after studying Politics and International Relations. Graduating with no degree and currently no job prospect. I'm boycotting graduation as I'm not giving them the satisfaction of their photo opportunity to show all is rosy. UCU and the Universities are both to blame and students should not be in the middle. Typical government not getting involved as per usual. Want my advice, don't bother with University, it's oversold and underdelivers. Not worth your time.

[@SCP--ck5ip]

It's so difficult looking at UK unis after discovering a uni in Germany that has an English taught course, for €350 a semester, single apartments all to yourself with bathroom and kitchen utilities for €370/month, and total monthly expenses of €850/semester. Also, the $350 per semester comes with an unlimited travel pass for the entire region...

[@omarothman688]

Listen, don't talk about university, I would rather you talk about yourself and your course rather. Some universities are simply trash- for lack of a better term. If you pick a course you like, nothing will go wrong and there is no such thing as disruption, and I'm sure as much as people failed etc, it's very easy to achieve a first degree with the right mindset. Does everyone have the right mindset? No. University earns you over lifetime more money, however, most students who pick a course don't even bother researching on the job prospects and occupations. Bare that in mind. I know for a fact half of these boycotters haven't even done proper research. I am yet to begin university and I know the whole marker of engineering, the pay, the kind of jobs I'll likely have to do, the roles etc, plus the various hierarchies within the market

[@j.p.9295]

​@@SCP--ck5ip UK is rip off for Universities, and they are not quality . They treat students like trash !!!!!!

[@youtubewatcher8254]

@@omarothman688Say Alhamdulilah, Omar. Allah made it easy for you to identify your career path and the route towards it. Others haven’t been given the same blessing. Whilst you’re comfortable today, with a goal, there are others who are lost and confused about what they’ll do with their life. Yes, you may have tied your camel and took steps to research and get to that position. But ultimately, it is Allah who gave you the ability to do so. M

[@omarothman688]

@youtubewatcher8254 you clearly didn't read my comment. The person was discouraging people from going to university, just because they didn't know how to get in. You shouldn't give generic advice just from your own experience. That's firstly. Secondly, I agree that it is Allah SWT that gave me the means of knowing my careers. However, it was me who chose the A levels, studied hard, and had the discipline That person who is saying that is simply one who cannot be bothered to revise, and wants others to be like that. Seen a lot of them. As always though and as you said, alhamdullilah anytime, anyday

[@thomasanders1314]

Young, ambitious, intelligent people with good intentions, it's so sad.

[@electricmonk4487]

It’s a shame they didn’t interview some spokesperson for UCU, I’d be interested on their stated stance.

[@ahmedabdelsabor7087]

This is really sad. The higher education sector was one of the last sectors in the UK outperforming Europe and second only to the US internationally

[@LindaAndrews-ly1qf]

Oxford and Cambridge actually higher ranked than all US universities including the Ivy League

[@ahmedabdelsabor7087]

@@LindaAndrews-ly1qf not really. it depends on the year and the ranking used but in general US academia is better as the US economy is 7 times the UK economy so they can fund more research and attract more researchers

[@oldschoolwaverider]

@@ahmedabdelsabor7087 British education far outranks American. In schools and Universities.

[@jzilla1234]

Why is the thumbnail using a stock image of a hijabi girl scowling, even though there is non in the video. Bit racist mate.

[@Nourhaba92abc]

Yeah I think it's weird too

[@jzilla1234]

@@kevinb9830 no because there are actual caucasion girls scowling in the video

[@jzilla1234]

@@kevinb9830 watch it again, they are rightfully upset because their university has screwed them over and ripped them off

[@justanothermortal1373]

Bro, noone actually cares 💀. You say it's racist but you're the one who's focusing on race. None of us even would've noticed until you pointed it out. I swear, people nowadays see racism in things that aren't even related 😭.

[@michaelatkins4501]

Surely there must be some way to sue the University surely it’s some kind of breach of contract they paid their tuition fees…….. if I pay someone for a job and it’s not completed so I take them to court

[@zoecurran4185]

This was raised when a lot of universities went online during covid, but with no real result. My youngest son got caught up with covid, which hit in his first year, part way through his second term. Everything went online, no exams - all given a pass to the second year, so no real experience of exams at university level. Second year all online, apart from 3/4 tutorials and a similar number of lab days, until they stopped as well. Couldn't access staff with queries about work/exams/results, leading to his deferring for a year and retaking xsecond years modules when in-person teaching resumed last September. No refunds for the online year, etc, despite students' complaints at his and other universities.

[@pabrennan6877]

Correct - It takes only one individual to successfully sue & the 'precedent gate' is then wide open. After which each claim is an open a shut case of merely citing. Universities owe multi-millions in refunds to students & they know it.

[@starry7231]

My bachelor’s degree was a waste of time to some extent, I really feel bad for these students. I learned a lot at university but I don’t think it’s worth it.

[@samgrainger1554]

They straight up pay for like a 3rd of marking time. And its like gig work

[@Shad_Chowdhury]

When looking at any problem, you have to solve it at the root. I'm sorry for the student's situation - I am currently a student myself atm and can completely sympathise with their frustrations, but we can't atomise ourselves from the political struggle between underpaid workers and profiteering organisations that masquerade as "charities" (I.e. tax avoiders). The students are bound to be caught in it all. Better to organise against the profiteers than wishing it will all go away because as much as those at that particular uni are frustrated along with being saddled with debt, the workers are also frustrated because it's their entire livelihood. Just as a principle: if we're gonna be mad, we have to be mad at the right people. We shouldn't expect others to take it lying down for the sake of not inconveniencing people caught in the middle.

[@cx6894]

9k a year + maintenance loans to live in London + some people fail first time round, loans over 100k you'll be paying interest for 30 years, and that's if this tory government honor the 30 year rule and not axe it later.

[@oldschoolwaverider]

The terms of those loans (or graduate tax schemes, or what ever they want to call them) are NOT even written into state law, so it would only take something like a new prime minister to decide those loans can be either sold off to private companies who might increase the interest rate (which is already compounded before students graduate) or change the terms to lender's benefit and borrower's detriment. Shooting ourselves in the foot doing this to the next generation of people. Are there potential NHS professionals not getting their degrees as quickly as they should? Whatever happened to forward planning. . . 🤦

[@samgrainger1554]

Chancelor also presided over a disasterous change in pay and HR electronic system

[@Krytern]

If it is a charity that doesn't make profit like he claims where is that over billion they made right now?

[@sheikhfadhilaljahdhamy6751]

The truth of matter is the problem with economic debt monetary system

[@Chris-rb8ox]

Sucks for the students to have their degrees delayed, but that's all deferral is. The students should of course be compensated somehow, but disappointingly, Channel 4 has dishonestly presented this as if they won't get their degrees at all.

[@misterpositive9337]

Not only are the courses useless, but the debt and time wasted as well.

[@lilym1797]

The only fury there is at the greedy corrupt govt and universities!

[@suzannehaigh4281]

Edinburgh refuses English student without even enquiring into their A level forecasts and after applying 9 months early, shameful when they can accept from abroad, but OH, they get more money from them and they hate the English.

[@manjurhasanchisti2264]

Totally unacceptable.

[@BuburMummy]

They should ask for their money back!

[@haqq1234]

Will those who didn’t graduate be getting their money back?

[@Zenocius]

Several thousands in exchange for 4 years sounds like a great deal

[@khanhamid3744]

It's the time and efforts and stress that's more. As my dad says get a degree that will be helpful in the future otherwise might as well work and save money than spend 4 years. He made me do that. But now I am glad I went to university. My graduation is in 2 weeks.

[@vincentc7920]

Sociology and politics degree? What do you use that degree for? Become Boris?

[@lucieirl]

Loads of degrees are structured to support entry onto a much more specific and job oriented masters these days at least in my experience. Over half my cohort have plans for further studies…that is if we can get accepted into them without a classification :/

[@elliemuir8504]

I understand that international students have to pay for tuition but I don’t think this news segment made clear that tuition is completely free for Scottish students especially since this was covering a strike in Scotland

[@Krytern]

Didn't you listen to the accents? It is the non-scottish students that are being screwed.

[@lucieirl]

Does it matter? Students worked hard and committed 3-4 years of their life and now get nothing to show for it when they need it for jobs masters etc

[@zoecurran4185]

A lot of students from the other parts of the UK have to pay fees as they would at any UK university. The number of Scottish students is fairly small overall, because they don't pay fees. My son went to a Scottish university from England.

[@kenlandon6130]

Pay the lecturers properly.

[@ben3826]

Could somebody explain what it means and why their degrees are being deferred? Cheers

[@yxjl]

Because of horrible pay and work conditions, the lecturers have been striking and refusing to mark students’ works; students cannot get their degrees without these marks

[@QuestForGood]

@@yxjl The teachers are selfish as well as the government.

[@plurabelle5]

@@QuestForGood Yeah, they should do their work like good little slaves.

[@NirthUK]

@@plurabelle5 or mark the papers as you're paid to do, don't disrupt the lives of students whose fees pay your salary, and before taking a new cohort of student and taking their money too, say perhaps owing to poor working conditions and wages we are not doing lectures and marking papers. Punishing students who paid for an overpriced education that usually won't result in a job that can pay it off is morally absurd and plain wrong.

[@dandan3045]

@@QuestForGoodit’s not as simple as you make it.

[@theeraphatsunthornwit6266]

New international students will go to australia instead to save the potential hassle😂

[@shackles5850]

They won't, Aussie/NZ universities are also having issues. My university just cut around 130 courses so many people can't finish their chosen degree and have to choose something else, even if they were months away from graduating. Most other ANZ universities are doing similar because theyre all in severe debt.

[@janelu2697]

​@@shackles5850Is Australia uni also has many strikes now?😢 Why they cut the courses? Thank you

[@shackles5850]

@@janelu2697 They're running out of money, universities get lots of money from international students, but international students couldn't travel to Australia during Covid 19, so now they're millions of dollars in debt.

[@eeemuse]

It's a joke, I got my result letter with one of the module only stating PASS, when in reality I got over 90% first trimester and expected 70% at least for the 2nd trimester (T2 went without being marked). The result, all students on that specific module got a PASS, regardless how good you did. So I have lost a legit First grade on that module because of this!

[@PERRITOCBA]

This very short clip doesn't make justice to the conflict and how staff have been fighting for years. VCs are using students as bargaining chips.

[@AlgoNudger]

I need a skill set, not a degree! 🤭

[@avechristusrexchristisking]

I don't understand, why are they not getting their degree?

[@bdh711]

Some of the work isn’t marked so they can’t receive a final classification

[@jakkuwolfinsomnia8058]

It’s ridiculous

[@DirkPeterson-uh6uu]

Without any hatred for anyone. Student visas are just a route used by a million people mostly I dians to migrate to uk

[@User-059-42]

Why that picture of a muslim girl?

[@AnimatedBlast]

These kids are acting like their degree is cancelled. No way they won’t get a grade.

[@lucieirl]

No, we really aren’t getting grades until some indeterminate point. It’s possible September, October , but could literally be deferred for a year in some cases. My uni has offered us to collect a diploma for existing credits and to basically wait and see when we will get classifications and our actual marks for the dissertation.

[@zoecurran4185]

​@lucieirl that's crazy to totally disrupt students whose job offers/postgraduate opportunities depend on them getting certain grades.

[@janelu2697]

The students are innocent.

[@georgexenakis3545]

This could be from the onion

[@Yamatoshinjimoto]

Don't ever let the university's tell you they don't have the money, forget how much the higher ups get paid; LSBU for one paid "Israel" £1million in academic year 21/22 according to an investigation into all the universities in the UK sending money to "Israel". Take out however you feel on the Israel Palestine situation, how can universities justify sending that much money abroad whilst students accruing a life time debt with these institutions, probably won't get good jobs in their fields... Still won't even get the £56k-£72k piece of paper their whole life is in debt to?

[@Nourhaba92abc]

This is sad, it's not that clear why they can't get the degrees...must be a matter of money like they were explaining...i wouldnt want to be in their shoes.

[@moominmay]

It’s clearly explained that they can’t get their degrees because of the lecturers and tutors striking so they’re essentially fallen behind and would need to continue on and get into yet more debt if they still wanted their degree.

[@justanothermortal1373]

​​@@moominmayruh this is happening in my country, except with middle and high schools, and the kids can't go to school to study, sit their exams or get their results because of the strikes.

[@Nourhaba92abc]

@@moominmay oh ok

[@zoecurran4185]

​@@moominmayI think they've done the course lectures and set work for the students, but just haven't marked the work the students have done, so the students don't know if they've passed, or what grade/marks they've achieved. My nephew is affected by this at Oxford, for his postgraduate course.

[@zoecurran4185]

​@@Nourhaba92abcsee my reply below.

[@JohnSmith-cw4cq]

Why does it matter if they don't graduate? With those degrees, they will still stay unemployed.

[@ManducaFlown]

Yea. It certainly seems to be a certain type of degree that is most impacted.

[@christwrd]

Rubbish

[@justanothermortal1373]

Bruh what. How can you become a lawyer or a doctor without a degree though? 💀

[@JohnSmith-cw4cq]

@justanothermortal1373 I said THOSE degrees. Other degrees like medicine and law are obviously important. But political science?

[@g0801215]

They haven’t paid any tuition fees until they have a job and start paying through payroll.

[@somayyamughal8313]

😮

[@williamsafari6437]

when i saw the headline photo i thought it was about universities in the middle east

[@CookieBlue1646]

Where r degrees??? R Uni's running a ponzi scheme....😂 well where is the money these kids Payed???

[@Cool-hu5ze]

i can think positive is most important self love is most important love is best, love love love, liefde i love myself positive thinking self love choose life, bible is true i love Jesus Christ Benefit of Forgive: The good news: Studies have found that the act of forgiveness can reap huge rewards for your health, lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression and stress. Do not kill yourself we can not kill ourself Thou shalt not kill Love yourself, love others , selfish is bad

[@jtrevm]

A VC should be a leader first. Not an overpaid manager. I didn't see a leader here. You can spot them easily - no matter the situation. They solve problems. They don't sit on them. Perhaps not enough incentive. You have n months to fix it this year - and show you have it sorted thereafter. If not we recruit a new VC. Charities need the best management.

[@seanmacmillan5562]

They are on 100k plus

[@CCARTER-fe2wi]

Well it depends, are you doing stupid mickey mouse degrees, like marketing, gender studies or undersea seahorse fighting or are you doing a real degree, like medicine, law or something that ACTUALLY benefits society, not just an excuse to have a 2-3 year pi*s up.

[@CesarGarcia-nd5xz]

Why the hij@bi in the thumbnail?

[@SA-ff9uc]

How will the nation cope without all these middle clarse International Relations graduates?

[@larrydickman5936]

Putin and friends will probably invade knowing that both the armed forces and international politics graduates are few in number......

[@Aden288]

Better to have an educated society rather than an ignorant one ...

[@SA-ff9uc]

@@Aden288 You have never spoken to these people... Educated beyond their capacity.

[@trildi]

@@SA-ff9uc Clearly not, seeing as they finished their degres.

[@hawaiitongie8671]

Lie after lie society . That the sad society...

[@computer-training-for-seniors]

You were conned into going to university by your high school teachers and parents.

[@bdh711]

This 100% I’m making sure my little brother goes the apprenticeship route instead of university

[@hawaiitongie8671]

😢😢😢🎉😂😢😢

[@balerikirmu.11]

U got money for bombs though..

[@j.p.9295]

Why this hijabi photograph, this is not Afghanistan !!

[@insertname2035]

🤓

[@xyz-tn3pl]

Yet...

[@justanothermortal1373]

​@@xyz-tn3pl💀

[@ManducaFlown]

The worst crime of all featured within this video? The bag pipes.

[@samcarena4702]

I have informed my 2 daughters not to attend any universities in the uk. They are going to France and the US to do their degrees

[@Nigelfarij]

That's good. No one ever strikes in France.

[@una3450]

@@Nigelfarij 🤣

[@didierpuzenat7280]

@@Nigelfarij At least is costs 150 €/year, at least for Europeans, and to answer your comment there is a very small minority of Universities closed because of strikes, and most of the time for very short periods, and most of the time everything continues on line. But I guess the USA is a far better place if you are more afraid by strikes than debts. Anyway France Universities are full.

[@coolbreeze9713]

Send them to Germany, many foreigners go there to study Master degrees and they are happy with the cost benefit ratio.

[@guineverejackson1201]

Change the thumbnail ASAP 🧕🏾

[@joshadmason4437]

These students will soon receive their degrees. The boycott, which the students are supporting, is causing disruption. The UCU Union plays a role in this situation, and individual universities have limited control over it. Interestingly, the University of Edinburgh has offered full pay to its staff for marking purposes. Not the university's issue. Enjoy ruining your own ceremonies.

[@ManducaFlown]

Sorry but I have never understood why university staff go on strike. I have experience of the sector myself - and yes it’s not the best paid - but my god it’s cushy. The idea that it is comparable to other industries - where you might plausibly be in physical danger, for example, and therefore need a union - is laughable. It’s full of educated, relatively advantaged Marxists who don’t understand the pillar of privilege upon which they stand. The entitlement beggars belief.

[@yxjl]

Found Peter Mathieson’s burner account