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Student Charter

Introduction

At Bangor University we are proud of the close partnership we have with our student body and the way in which we work together to develop the unique Bangor student experience. The significance of this was recognised recently by the QAA who commended the University for its approach to partnership working with students.

Your time at Bangor will bring with it a range of opportunities to develop your skills, become an active member of our learning community, and contribute to the local environment. We firmly believe in the value of engaging with your studies, but also in the benefits brought by taking advantage of every opportunity you have to build your knowledge and experience outside of the academic domain.

Bangor University is committed to providing excellent Welsh medium provision, developing strong bilingual administration, and continuing to contribute extensively to the cultural and linguistic development of the area. We aim to be sustainable in everything we do.

The University undertakes to disseminate this charter annually to all students and staff via email, on-line and in welcome talks and meetings with personal tutors.

The University will service its contractual obligations to students and comply with its commitments under consumer law as outlined by the Competition and Markets Authority. In doing so, universities will work to protect the student interest when responding to circumstances such as significant changes to how a course is delivered or course closure. The university has in place procedures to respond to these circumstances which will mitigate the potential impact on students and which recognise the different needs of its diverse student body.

Bangor University: Our commitments to all our students:

To help you make the most of your time at university, we will endeavour to:

  • Ensure the highest possible standards of teaching and learning by:
    • Providing an excellent academic programme inspired by the latest top-quality research
    • Providing quality teaching, learning and research facilities
    • Supporting an active Course Representative system
    • Regularly asking for and responding to your feedback
    • Regularly asking for and responding to feedback from independent external sources
    • Operating an effective system for assuring academic quality and standards
    • Providing reasonable adjustments
    • Providing relevant staff development
  • Ensure that we engage with you promptly and proactively by:
    • Providing clear information about your modules and course / research programme
    • Communicating with you as quickly and effectively as possible
    • Setting a clear deadline for the provision of feedback on academic work
    • Giving you advance notice of your timetable and any changes to it
    • Responding to any complaints promptly and fairly
  • Ensure that your environment is inclusive, welcoming and supportive by:
    • Providing appropriate academic and pastoral support.
    • Ensuring ready access to general information about the university and its organisation
    • Providing a range of support services, including signposting to external services, where appropriate.
    • Fostering cultural wealth and community involvement
    • Fostering a safe, clean and ‘green’ environment, free from negative discrimination or harassment, based on mutual respect
    • Evaluating and developing our support services in response to student feedback
  • Ensure that you are prepared for employment and lifelong learning by:
    • Ensuring that, Wednesday afternoons, after 1pm are free from timetabled academic study, with any unavoidable exceptions published
    • Helping you to develop skills to support your learning and employability
    • Giving you opportunities to develop your employability, including the opportunity to participate in the Bangor Employability Award scheme
    • Providing access to careers advice and publicising employment opportunities
    • Providing opportunities for you to study overseas
  • Ensure that through our bilingual policy you can choose to:
    • Study wherever possible through the medium of Welsh
    • Submit assessments and receive feedback (wherever possible) through the medium of Welsh, irrespective of the language of tuition
    • Have access to support services through the medium of Welsh
    • Interact with the University through the medium of Welsh
    • Learn Welsh or further develop Welsh language skills through classes and specific modules

If you wish to contact relevant University staff or support services, their contact details can be found online.

The University provides information on courses and the associated costs

The University complies with Consumer Protection legislation and is committed to ensuring that all course and programmes run according to the terms agreed in student contracts.

The University ensures that students’ interests are protected and works closely with the Students’ Union.

Students wishing to make a complaint should follow the procedures outlined here.

Bangor University Students’ Union: Our commitments to all our members:

To help you get the most from your time at University, we will:

  • Represent you effectively by:
    • Employing elected student officers who work full-time to extend and defend your rights as students at the University.
    • Campaigning on issues relevant to you by gathering evidence and proactively seeking your views on our work.
    • Ensuring that everything we do upholds our commitment to equal opportunities and our diverse student body.
  • Assist and support you with academic issues by:
    • Operating a free, independent advice and guidance service.
    • Facilitating a University-wide Course Representative system and providing adequate training for these representatives.
    • Working with the Doctoral School and Postgraduates to represent postgraduate students
  • Support your personal development by:
    • Providing you with the opportunity to create, join and lead athletic union clubs, student societies and volunteering projects, and UMCB, the Welsh Students Union
    • supporting and providing activities that further your extra-curricular skills and contribute to your employability

If you wish to contact the Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers, you can find their contact details here.

Bangor University Students: Your commitments to the University

To help you make the most of your time at university, you are required to:

  • Take an active part in your learning community by:
    • Completing online enrolment and registration in a timely manner, and when emailed to do so
    • Attending all timetabled sessions
    • Reading your course and module handbooks
    • Preparing for classes and reading set texts in advance
    • Undertaking independent study and engaging in research
    • Completing and handing in your assessments by set deadlines
    • Collecting your marked work promptly and reflecting on feedback to improve your future work
    • Registering with Disability Services if you require disability-related adjustments to be put in place.
  • Act responsibly by:
    • Abiding by all university regulations, including the Code of Conduct for students
    • Treating our diverse student and staff community with courtesy, dignity and respect, including when using social media
    • Respecting your environment on and off campus and being considerate towards the local community to which we all belong
  • Give us feedback and information by:
    • Making use of opportunities to provide us with feedback
    • Regularly checking your University e-mail account and Blackboard
    • Keeping your personal information up-to-date
  • Seek support and advice when you need it by:
    • Keeping us informed of anything that is affecting your studies so that we can support and advise you
    • Proactively seeking personal support, should you feel you need it
    • Making full use of our personal tutor system