Student Protection Plan to Protect Continuation of Study 2023-24
Introduction 1.1 As a registered provider of higher education, the...
The University Executive Committee is responsible for all matters associated with the development and management of the university.
Last updated: 7 August 2025
We know that choosing a university is a big commitment – and you’re trusting us with your future. That’s why we’ve put together this Student Protection Plan, to explain how we’ll support you if anything unexpected affects your course or your ability to continue studying.
This plan sets out the types of risks that could (though rarely do) disrupt your studies – and, most importantly, how we’ll handle those situations with you and for you.
Section 1: What Could Go Wrong (Risks)
We look at different types of risks – like course closures, IT failures, or major campus disruptions – and how likely they are to happen. Most risks are considered very unlikely, but we’re prepared just in case.
Section 2: What We’ll Do About It (Prevention & Support)
This section explains what we’re doing to prevent problems, and what actions we’ll take if something does go wrong – like moving students to other courses, teaching out the programme, or offering compensation where appropriate.
If your studies are disrupted, you may be entitled to a refund, compensation, or help with extra costs.
Section 4: Keeping You in the Loop
We’ll communicate clearly and as early as possible if something changes. This section explains how we’ll share updates and how students are involved in reviewing this plan each year.
Concern | Contact Person | |
General questions about the policy | Dan Ramsay, Head of Academic Registry | [email protected] |
Issues affecting your course | Your Course Leader or Student Centres | They’ll be listed in MyCourses, [email protected] |
Welfare or student support | Student Centres | [email protected] |
The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 requires the University to have a Student Protection Plan, like this Plan, to protect your interests and detail the steps we would take where significant material changes have had to take place affecting the continuation of your study, such as (but not limited to):
The University is also aware that our students come from diverse backgrounds and, in the event of the realisation of any of the risks covered in this plan, will have different support needs. This includes but is not limited to students sharing particular protected characteristics (as defined in the Equality Act 2010). In implementing any measures to protect continuation of study we will consider the impact of changes for students with different needs, characteristics and circumstances.
The University is confident that its management of risk, through a multi-layered approach, is robust. At institution-level, the University operates a risk cycle through which a risk register and accompanying action plan is revised annually and approved through the University Executive Committee, Audit & Risk Committee, and Council. It is kept under review throughout the year. Risks are assessed in terms of likelihood, and each is defined as one of the following:
Highly Unlikely | 20% probability of the risk occurring in the next 2 years |
Less Likely | 20% – 50% probability of the risk occurring in the next 2 years |
Likely | 50% – 80% probability of the risk occurring in the next 2 years |
Highly Likely | Greater than 80% probability of occurrence in the next 2 years |
In addition to the institution-level risk assessment activities, the University’s annual Business Planning Cycle provides a forum for the University Executive Committee to agree the annual programme of activity with each School and professional service department and integral to this cycle is the identification of ‘local’ risks.
Furthermore, the University recognises that unexpected major incidents have the potential to cause significant disruption to the day-to-day operation of the University. It has therefore developed a comprehensive Business Continuity Policy with an accompanying suite of planning documents to ensure it can not only deal with the immediate consequences of a major incident but also consider the long-term impacts on the University and, where practical, improve resilience. The University’s major incident management and business continuity planning is guided by the following core aims:
It should be noted that this Plan explicitly deals with risks to the continuation of study. It does not address risks to the quality of the content or delivery of courses and addresses these risks through its Quality Framework and other established policies and procedures.
Assessment of the range and level of risks to the continuation of study for students
1.1 The risk of institutional financial failure resulting in the institution as a whole being unable to operate (meaning students could not continue their studies) is considered to be ‘less likely’ despite the increasing funding pressures and expenditure increases experienced throughout the sector. This is for the following reasons:
1.2 The risk of the University losing its degree awarding powers, university status, or registration with the Office for Students (OfS) is considered highly unlikely due to a comprehensive, embedded academic and corporate governance framework that ensures that checks, controls and systems are in place to prevent events that would lead to this occurrence. The University has a robust framework in place that ensures all conditions of registration with the OfS are attached to a member of the University Executive. This framework is overseen by the University Executive Committee and reported for assurance to the Audit & Risk Committee.
1.3 Though rated as less likely, there is a higher risk of interruption or damage to the University’s IT structure reflecting not only the possibility of internal service failure but also the increasing threat of a significant, successful cyberattack upon the University due to the current global threat to cybersecurity (see section 2 for mitigation measures and consideration based on students’ needs and circumstances).
1.4 The risk of the possible unavailability of University accommodation to provide teaching due to the late delivery of transformational capital projects is considered to be less likely due to existing established controls (e.g. early and ongoing tracking of various work stages against the master programme).
1.5 The risk of failure of an academic partnership resulting in termination of the partnership is considered to be less likely, although due to the unpredictable political and financial environment within which partners operate, we have included details of our mitigating actions in respect of this aspect of our provision. Mitigation against the failure of Academic Partnerships includes:
1.6 The risk of failing to maintain the University’s UKVI licence, which would only directly affect international students, is considered to be highly unlikely due to the dedicated internal resource within the Immigration Compliance team which has focussed on ensuring that the University is compliant with UK Home Office immigration rules and requirements as evidenced by the Basic Compliance Assessment statistics.
1.7 The risk of closure of all or part of one or more of the University’s campuses negatively affecting academic delivery is highly unlikely. Unexpected events requiring a temporary campus closure are also highly unlikely and would be managed by our major incident and business continuity procedures, which would focus on minimising student impact and bringing campuses back into service as soon as possible.
1.8 The risk of non-completion of teaching delivery due to the closure of an academic School which would affect disciplines rather than individual courses) is highly unlikely. Although the University may review its structure which may result in the closure of a School, any such restructuring activity is carefully planned and monitored through University Executive Committee, Academic Affairs Committee and Academic Board in order to ensure the continuity of study for all affected students.
1.9 The risk of non-completion of teaching delivery of a course is considered to be highly unlikely. Due to the current state of the higher education market and challenges in recruitment, it is highly likely for courses to become non-viable from a student experience, academic or resourcing perspective – a course may be identified for closure due to a number of reasons including portfolio review, insufficient enrolments, loss of relevant professional accreditation or the temporary or permanent loss of key staff (including supervisory capacity for research students). Given the University’s interest in delivering courses that have current value and meet student needs, the academic portfolio is constantly being refreshed, and the University therefore has considerable experience of terminating unviable courses successfully, ensuring that student interests are at the forefront of any planning. The University closely manages the likelihood of the closure of a course, as well as the closure process itself, to ensure continuity of study for students and their experience in these circumstances through the following measures:
1.10 Given the current state of industrial relations across the higher education sector, the risk of the continuation of strike action affecting academic delivery is possible. However, the University actively manages the impact of this strike action so the substantive risk to continuation of study for students is rated as highly unlikely.
1.11 In summary, the University does not assess any risks as either likely or highly likely at the time this Plan was agreed.
The measures that we have put in place to mitigate those risks identified above as higher risks and what it would mean for students:
2.1 Mitigation against the risk of interruption or damage to the University’s IT structure includes:
The University’s response to interruption or damage to the IT structure would depend on the given situation – an assessment of the problem would be made and an appropriate action plan devised. The assessment would include consideration of students that are highly dependent on IT either through their course of study (e.g. Computing courses) or for other reasons (e.g. distance learning students or students with disabilities) in order to ensure the quality of teaching and learning and maintenance of the student experience.
What Happens If There’s Disruption to Your Studies:
2.2 The University intends in any likely scenario to ensure that students are taught out on any programme they started. We believe that the structures we have in place, including our academic governance and robust financial strategy, make it significantly unlikely that we would not be in a position to achieve that.
In the unlikely event…
If something disrupts your course or university activities, here’s what we’ll do to help you:
We’ll try to keep your course running, possibly by making changes to how or where it’s delivered, instead of shutting it down.
If there’s industrial action (like a staff strike):
If we need to make big changes to your course during the year:
If your course is suspended, closed, or changes how it’s delivered:
If your course loses its accreditation:
If our visa sponsorship is suspended or revoked (for international students):
If the University loses its degree-awarding powers:
If the campus or study location closes (As a result of fire, building disposal, public demonstration etc):
If the University has to close completely:
2.3 The University’s Business Continuity Plan covers other mitigating actions affecting business continuity, such as acts of terrorism, damage to buildings or equipment.
Tuition Fee and Bursary Policy
3.1 The University has a Tuition Fee and Bursary Policy that outlines the circumstances in which we will refund tuition fees and other relevant costs to students. The policy also outlines the payment of bursaries and scholarships to students. In the unlikely event of significant disruption refunds, compensation, or payments to cover additional and legitimate costs incurred by a student would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Information about how the University will review the student protection plan and communicate with students about the plan:
4.1 The Student Protection Plan will be published on the University’s public website.
4.2 The Student Protection Plan will be published through the ‘your course’ area of ‘My Glos’ which is accessible by all current students. Additionally it will be added to the suite of policies and regulations that form part of the Student Contract to ensure that it is accessible to future students;
4.3 The Student Protection Plan is also be accessible to staff through Staffnet in ‘Planning and Academic Resources > Governance and Structure’.
4.4 The Student Protection Plan will be reviewed annually to ensure that it remains relevant, effective and practical. The review will be undertaken by the Academic Board, the membership of which includes representatives from the University of Gloucestershire Students’ Union. Student Representatives will be consulted prior to consideration at Academic Board.
4.5 In the event of measures within the Student Protection Plan being implemented the University will communicate with affected students through the most appropriate channels according to the particular situation. These channels will include but will not be limited to individual and group meetings with affected students, e-mail, formal letter, announcements on MyGlos, and via the student representation system.
4.6 If the University experiences a major incident, communication with students will be in accordance with the Business Continuity Policy. The University will ensure that affected students are signposted to independent advice as appropriate to the situation.