General Regulations - 2023/24

 

Below you can find information about the University's General Regulations for Students. 

 

The University's General Regulations for Students can also be viewed as a pdf. 

‘You’ are a person who is currently registered with the University for a programme of study, whether that is full-time or part-time. This includes (but is not limited to) those who are:

  1. also employed by the University, such as a postgraduate research student who also acts as an associate tutor or members of staff on the MA in Higher Education Practice programme

  2. on a work or clinical placement that is a requirement of your programme of study

  3. registration-only, such as a postgraduate research student who has not submitted their thesis within their prescribed period of study but remains registered

  4. dormant, i.e. those who are registered for a programme of study but who are not currently enrolled on any modules, such as Student Interrupting Their Period of Study at the University

  5. a full-time student officer of the Union of UEA Students

  6. a visiting student

 

‘University’ means the University of East Anglia.

‘University Residences’ means Barton House, Britten House, Browne House, Colman House, Constable Terrace, Crome Court, Hickling House, Kett House, Nelson Court, Norfolk Terrace, Orwell Close, Paston House, Suffolk Terrace, Suffolk Walk, University Village, Village Close, Victory House, Wolfson Close, and any other building which the University uses as accommodation for students.

‘University Property’ means premises owned, controlled, or managed by the University.

‘Registration’ means initial or renewed registration.

All references within these Regulations to particular post holders shall be construed to include references to their deputies or nominees.

Working days means Monday to Friday inclusive but does not include bank holidays or University closed days.

1. Effect of these Regulations

1.1.        These Regulations apply to you. They apply throughout your period of registration, including during University breaks and vacations falling within your period of registration.

1.2.        If you are alleged to have breached one or more of these Regulations, we will apply the University Disciplinary and Investigative Procedures and Powers or any other procedure provided for in these Regulations.

1.3.        Disciplinary procedures must normally be concluded before any degree or award can be conferred, and this may mean that conferment may be delayed pending conclusion of the procedures.

1.4.        In registering with the University, you have agreed to be bound by all Statutes, Regulations, Student Charters, Codes of Practice, Rules, or Procedures of the University in force during your period of registration. You must therefore comply with these obligations.

1.5.        You have, in registering with the University, agreed to be bound by all regulations, rules, and procedures required by any other organisation or institution to which you have access by virtue of your status as a student at the University. You must therefore comply with these obligations.

2. Registration status of full-time student officers of the Union of UEA Students

2.1.        If you are elected as a full-time student officer of the Union of UEA Students you must register as a full-time Visiting Student without fee, for the period in which you hold full-time office. If you were partway through a programme of study, you may interrupt your programme of studies for the period in which you hold full-time office.

2.2.        These Regulations apply to you irrespective of your registration status.

3. Students Interrupting Their Period of Study

3.1.        You may apply to interrupt your programme of studies in accordance with the Regulations covering degrees and awards. If your application is successful, you will be a Student Interrupting Their Period of Study (unless you are a full-time student officer of the Union of UEA Students, when you will be a Visiting Student instead).

3.2.        You must comply with the restrictions regarding the use of facilities that are specified in the Notices to Students Interrupting Their Studies that the University issues from time to time.

3.3.        Only Regulations 6, 7, 8, 23, 29, and 30 apply to Students Interrupting Their Period of Study.

4. Students who are also Members of University Staff 

If you are both a member of staff of the University and a Student as defined in these General Regulations, breach of these General Regulations may also constitute a disciplinary offence under Ordinance Six and/or Statute Seven.

Ordinances and Statutes are part of the University’s legislation under its Charter. Ordinance Six and Statute Seven relate to staff grievance and disciplinary matters.  You can find a copy of them on the Regulations and Discipline page on My UEA (log in required).

5. Students subject to immigration rules 

Student Visas 

5.1.        If you have been granted a student visa to study in the UK under the sponsorship of the University, you must comply with all the conditions of leave of your student visa. You must also cooperate fully with the University as a visa sponsor where it is fulfilling any duties required by UK Visas and Immigration. Failure to do so may result in the University notifying UK Visas and Immigration that it is withdrawing sponsorship of your visa. As a result of that withdrawal of sponsorship, your permission to remain in the United Kingdom will be curtailed.

5.2.        Any breach of these General Regulations resulting in suspension or exclusion from the University will mean that the University tells UK Visas and Immigration that it is withdrawing sponsorship of your visa. As a result of that withdrawal of sponsorship, your permission to remain in the United Kingdom will be curtailed.

Students subject to Immigration Rules other than Student Visas

5.3.  As a visa sponsor the University has a duty to ensure that all students requiring a visa have valid immigration permission to study with us in the UK either under the sponsorship of the University or through holding valid immigration permission which carries an appropriate study condition. The University will check, during registration and subsequently thereafter, that permission to study remains valid throughout the whole period of study.

5.4.     Any failure to establish permission to study or any change resulting in the removal of permission to study, for any reason, will result in immediate suspension.

Guidance: Your ability to return to study following suspension will depend upon you having the appropriate leave with the necessary permission to study. See Part E.

Guidance: The University takes its legal responsibilities very seriously and each year there are students whose breach of these Regulations or the Home Office’s requirements results in their visa being withdrawn. Some examples of reasons for suspension and withdrawal are (a) not meeting the University’s attendance and engagement requirements, including specified ‘expected contact points’ such as attending teaching events, meeting your adviser, or submitting coursework (b) failing modules (i.e., not meeting the University’s progression requirements), and (c) non-payment of fees and charges

6. Giving us accurate information 

6.1 The University, or someone acting on behalf of the University, may request that you provide information in pursuance of the University’s aims. You must provide honest and complete information. If you knowingly or recklessly provide information that is misleading, or knowingly or recklessly misrepresent the truth by act or omission, you may be excluded from further study at the University.

6.2 If you are enrolled on, or have applied to, a programme of study that may lead to entry to a profession overseen by a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body, or you are accredited by or registered with such a Body, you have an ongoing obligation to tell the University promptly about anything that raises a question as to your character and suitability for the profession.

7. Criminal offences and investigations

  1.  

7.1.        You must immediately tell the Director of Student Services if at any time after you receive an offer to study with us, or while you are studying with us:

7.1.1.     You are charged with a criminal offence, in which case you must tell us what the charges are and provide a copy of the charge sheet;

7.1.2.     You have accepted a police caution, in which case you must provide a copy of the caution;

7.1.3.     You have been released on conditional police bail, in which case you must provide a copy of the conditions;

7.1.4.     You have been placed under investigation with advice, in which case you must provide a copy of the letter of advice;

7.1.5.     You are sent to trial for a criminal offence, in which case you must tell us the trial date and any rescheduled dates;

7.1.6.     You are notified that no further action will be taken to prosecute you, in which case you must show proof of this;

7.1.7.     You are found guilty of a criminal offence, in which case you must immediately notify us of the offences of which you have been found guilty, and (when available) your sentence;

7.1.8.     You are acquitted of a criminal offence, in which case you should, as far as is possible, provide us with any information that you have about why.

7.1.9.     A domestic abuse protection notice or order is made against you, in which case you must provide a copy of the notice or order.

7.2.        If you are enrolled on a programme of study in HSC, MED, EDU, SWK, or PHA you must also immediately tell your Head of School. This is because the School will need to consider whether to take any action to notify the relevant professional, statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) or assess your fitness to practise, and whether you should be sent on placement.

7.3.        Where an order under the Family Law Act 1996 or the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 is made against you and a person being protected by the order is a member of staff, student, or officer of the University, or someone with whom you live in University Residences, you must immediately seek the court’s permission to provide us with a copy of the order made and, if permitted to do so, provide us with a copy.

Guidance: 

The University may be required to report students on programmes of study that qualify them into a profession overseen by a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body. However, there are other programmes at UEA, such as in LAW or PSY, where misconduct such as criminal offences, criminal cautions, or breaches of these Regulations (especially those relating to plagiarism and collusion or cheating) can prevent a student from gaining entry to a profession even though the University has no role in directly qualifying students into the profession.

You should therefore ensure that you are familiar with the expectations of any organisation that may regulate you in the future.

8. Your contact information

8.1.        When you register you must give the University your semester-time address (the address at which you will live during semesters) and a non-semester-time address (the address at which you will live during university break periods). These may be the same if, for example, you are commuting from home to undertake your studies or if you are remaining in accommodation during the breaks. Once you have registered, the University will provide you with a University email address. The University will use your semester-time address or your email address to send you communications during the semesters and your non-semester time address and University email address at all other times.

8.2.        It is your responsibility to inform the University of any change to your contact details, whether permanent or temporary. If you are an undergraduate student or a taught postgraduate student, you must immediately notify your Learning and Teaching Service Hub of any changes using the address change facility on the student portal or by writing to your Hub. If you are a postgraduate research student, you must immediately notify the Postgraduate Research Service.

8.3.        In the case of undergraduate students and taught postgraduate students, you are deemed to have received all communications sent by the University within 48 hours of the communication being sent, whether that is by email or by post.

8.4.        In the case of postgraduate research students, you must comply with the notification requirements in the Code of Practice for Research Degree Students.

8.5.        This Regulation 8 applies to all students including those who are Students Interrupting Their Period of Study and those who are Suspended from Study (referred to in the University Disciplinary and Investigative Procedures and Powers as SS) or suspended from University Property (PP).

8.6.        If you are Suspended from Study and Excluded from University Property and Services – a kind of suspension known as a SSEP – then you must give us a personal email address as your University email address will be closed. You are still deemed to have received all communications sent by the University within 48 hours of the communication being sent, whether that is by email or post, but we will use your personal email address instead of your University email address.

 

9. Your living arrangements

9.1.        If you live in University Residences you must sign a licence or assured shorthold tenancy agreement to occupy the accommodation allocated to you and you must abide by the terms and conditions of the licence or tenancy agreement.

Guidance: Behaviour that breaches your licence or tenancy agreement is a breach of paragraph 9.1 and may also constitute one or more separate additional disciplinary offences under these Regulations. The University Disciplinary Officer may therefore decide to bring disciplinary proceedings for those other offences in addition to any penalties applied as a result of a breach of the licence or tenancy agreement, but will not penalise you twice for the same thing.

9.2. If you live off campus, you must ensure that the nature and location of your accommodation does not impact upon your ability to successfully engage in your studies.

 

10. General misconduct

10.1. You must not:

10.1.1.1 Behave in a threatening, intimidating, or abusive manner to any student, member of staff or officer of, or visitor to, the University, or any person in respect of whom you represent the University (such as a competitor in an inter-varsity sports competition), where you know or ought to know that this behaviour is threatening, intimidating, or abusive. We call this ‘abusive conduct’.

10.1.1.2 Make unwanted physical contact with any student, member of staff or officer of, or visitor to, the University, or any person in respect of whom you represent the University (such as a competitor in an inter-varsity sports competition) where that contact is objectively unreasonable in the circumstances. We call this ‘physical misconduct’.

10.1.2. Refuse to comply with a reasonable request made by a member of staff or officer of the University in the performance of their duty.

10.1.3. Refuse to provide University identification when reasonably requested to do so by a member of staff or officer of the University in the performance of their duty.

10.1.4. Dishonestly misuse a university identity or access card or allow anyone else to use your card.

10.1.5. Dishonestly appropriate, remove without permission, or interfere with University Property or the property of students, staff or officers of the University, or visitors.

10.1.6. Intentionally or recklessly damage or deface University Property or the property of students, staff or officers of the University, or visitors.

10.1.7. Make an application for financial support from the University that contains information that you know or suspect is false or misleading.

10.1.8 Disclose confidential information relating to disciplinary investigations or proceedings (including fitness to practise proceedings) against another student (the responding student) except in the following situations: with the express written consent of the responding student; or where you are a reporting student in the proceedings and the proceedings relate to sexual misconduct, or harassment

10.1.9. Seek improperly to influence the testimony of any witness or complainant in relation to a breach of these Regulations.

10.1.10. Fail to comply with any penalty previously imposed for a breach of these Regulations or the terms of a Suspension from Study or Suspension from Study and Exclusion from University Property.

10.1.11. Make a complaint against another student or any member of staff or officer of the University that is motivated by malice and/or mischievousness, or which is vexatious or that you know to be untrue. A report which is made in the public interest under the Student or Staff Whistleblowing Policies does not breach this Regulation.

10.1.12. Use or occupy University Property unless expressly or impliedly authorised by the University.

10.1.13. Knowingly receive, use, or possess controlled drugs or nitrous oxide other than as required by a programme of study or prescribed to you by a medical practitioner licensed by the General Medical Council.

10.1.14. Knowingly supply or produce controlled drugs or nitrous oxide other than as required by a programme of study.

10.1.15. Commit or participate in any act that is unlawful.

10.1.16. Commit or participate in any act that constitutes disorderly conduct causing nuisance or distress.

10.1.17. Commit or participate in any act the effect of which is to bring the University into disrepute in the mind of a reasonable person knowing the facts.

10.1.18.1 You must not engage in sexual activity (whether physical or virtual) with another person where that person does not consent to the activity in question. A person consents if they agree by choice to that activity, they have the freedom and capacity to make that choice and you had a reasonable belief that they consented. Whether a belief is reasonable is to be determined having regard to all the circumstances, including any steps that you have taken to ascertain their consent.  We call this ‘sexual misconduct’.

10.1.18.2 Engage in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature where that conduct has the purpose or effect of violating another person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. In this clause, ‘another person’ means a student, member of staff or officer of, or visitor to, the University, or any person in respect of whom you represent the University (such as a competitor in an inter-varsity sports competition). We call this ‘sexual harassment’.

Guidance: In this 10.1.18.1 and 10.1.18.2, conduct or an activity is sexual if a reasonable person would consider that it is by its nature sexual, whatever the circumstances or your intentions, or because it may be sexual and its circumstances or your intentions render it sexual.

10.1.19. Breach the University’s Conditions of Computer Use.

10.1.20. Breach the Library Rules.

10.1.21. Drive, park or wash a motor vehicle on University Property except as permitted by the University’s Vehicle Regulations.

10.1.22. Breach the University’s Code of Practice relating to Freedom of Speech.

10.1.23 Engage in unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, where that conduct has the purpose or effect of violating another person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. In this clause, ‘another person’ means a student, member of staff or officer of, or visitor to, the University, or any person in respect of whom you represent the University (such as a competitor in an inter-varsity sports competition). We call this ‘protected characteristic harassment’.

10.1.24 Possess any weapon or imitation weapon, air gun, air pistol, paintballing gun, BB or pellet gun or any kind of ammunition or replica ammunition. An item will be a weapon where it is: made or adapted for use for causing injury to someone else; or any article (whether or not made or adapted for use for causing injury) which you possess for the purpose of causing injury.

Guidance: Guidance: Archery equipment and fencing equipment shall not constitute a weapon for the purposes of this 10.1.24 unless you use it to harm another person in a way not permitted by the relevant rules of the sport. A Kirpan worn as part of religious adherence does not constitute a weapon.

 

10.2. You must not intentionally commit or participate in the commission of any act which:

10.2.1. has the effect of preventing, hindering, or disrupting students of the University in their academic pursuits or use of University leisure facilities; or staff or officers of the University in their duties, academic pursuits or use of University leisure facilities; or visitors to the University from carrying out their lawful business.

10.2.2. Has the effect of preventing, hindering, or improperly disrupting students, staff, or officers of the University or any visiting speakers in the exercise of their right lawfully to express any point of view or opinion or lawfully to meet or assemble.

10.2.3. Is detrimental to the University’s obligations under its Charter.

10.2.4. results in damage or loss to the University or to the persons or property of students, staff, or visitors.

10.3. You must not incite or encourage anyone to breach this Regulation 10.

10.4.      You      are      responsible      for:                     

10.4.1. Making good any damage or loss resulting from any act or omission by any person you invite onto University Property or to whom you have given access to University facilities or services, where such act or omission, if done by a student, would be a breach of these Regulations.

10.4.2. Making good any damage or loss resulting from a breach of these Regulations.
 

11. Statements to the media 

You must not make statements to the media (including press, radio, television, and online) on behalf of the University without the prior written permission of the Vice Chancellor.

Guidance: The prohibition on making statements without permission does not prevent students from making statements on their own behalf or on behalf of another organisation. Students seeking permission to make a statement on behalf of the University should contact the officers of the Student Union in the first instance, who shall liaise with the office of the Vice Chancellor.

12. Health and safety 

12.1.      You must take reasonable care

12.1.1.  for your own safety and for the safety of the University’s staff, students, officers, visitors, and anyone else who may be affected by your acts or omissions.

12.1.2.  for the safety of property belonging to the University or the University’s staff, students, officers, visitors, and anyone else who may be affected by your acts or omissions.

12.2.      You must follow the University’s health and safety policies, codes and rules and follow  any instructions given to you by a member of staff in the interests of your own and others’ health and safety.

12.3.      You must report health and safety incidents or concerns relating to University Property or University staff, officers, visitors, or students in accordance with the policy outlined here.

12.4.      You must not incite or encourage anyone else to breach this Regulation 12.

Guidance:  The University has a number of important policies, codes, and rules on health and safety that are designed to reflect its legal obligations and the need to protect the wellbeing of the University community and public. These policies deal with issues such as smoking in enclosed spaces; use of laboratory equipment; interfering with fire safety equipment; and not accessing roofs or the University broad. These Regulations require you to follow these policies, codes and rules. They can be found on the Safety Services page on My UEA (log in required). 

13. Attendance, Engagement and Progress

13.1.      You must:

13.1.1.  Register with the University at the commencement of your programme of study, the start of each subsequent academic year, and any other times requested by the University. By register, we mean full completion of the online registration process when prompted to do so prior to your arrival/return and ensuring that you have been marked as seen on your return to campus. This process will be outlined to you in communications from the University.

13.1.2.  Notify the University immediately upon registration for your programme of study if you are unwilling to carry out University work or examinations on Saturdays or on certain other days during the year because to do so would be contrary to your religion or belief as defined in the Equality Act 2010.

Guidance: The University will consider whether or to what extent it can arrange learning, teaching, and assessment to accommodate your religion or belief, in accordance with the University Policy on Students’ Beliefs and the Organisation of University Work.

13.1.3.  Attend lectures, seminars, research training, and other classes and events that are required as part of your programme of study. Attendance means your physical presence on a timely basis or, if you are permitted to attend online synchronously, your online attendance.

13.1.4.  Engage with your programme of study or research degree. Engagement means your active involvement in your studies, as evidenced, for example, by meaningful contributions to teaching events, appropriate preparatory work in advance for teaching or events or supervisions, submission of assessed work, and constructive working with fellow students whether asynchronous or synchronous.

13.1.5.  Tell the Learning and Teaching Service, Student Information Zone, or report online via evision if you are unable to attend or engage with your programme of study, such as due to a change in circumstances or ill health, so that they can notify your School. Postgraduate research students should instead notify the Postgraduate Research Service.

13.1.6.  Attend any meeting called by or on behalf of an officer of the University or a person responsible for you, such as:

13.1.6.1. your Head of School; your School’s or Institute’s Director of Postgraduate Research; and/or the Senior Adviser or Deputy Senior Adviser of your School;

13.1.6.2. a plagiarism officer; investigative officer; Student Support Coordinator; Deputy Accommodation Manager; University Disciplinary Officer; or Chair or Deputy Chair of Senate Student Discipline Committee;

13.1.6.3. your UEA Apprenticeship Adviser (for those on registered degree apprenticeship programmes only);

13.1.6.4. the Chair of your School’s fitness to practise committee or your fitness to practise lead or appointed investigator (for those registered on a professional programme of study only);

13.1.6.5. the Director of Student Services and any person from Student Services.

13.1.7.  If you are on a taught programme, you must meet your academic adviser in accordance with the Policy on the Advising System.

13.1.8.  You must also meet your academic adviser if requested to do so for the purpose of discussing your attendance, engagement, and progress.

13.1.9.  If you are on a research programme, you must attend your initial and formal supervisory team meetings. These are described in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. You may attend using an agreed videoconferencing facility.

13.1.10. If you are on an apprenticeship programme, you must attend four progress review meetings per year (approximately every twelve weeks) with your apprenticeship adviser and employer mentor, completing a progress review template. Failure to meet this requirement could mean that your apprenticeship funding is stopped, and you could be withdrawn from the programme. 

13.1.11. If you are on an apprenticeship programme you must engage with the programme every calendar month. Failure to meet this requirement may mean you are placed on a forced interruption to studies in accordance with Department for Education funding regulations for apprenticeships.

13.2.      If your attendance and/or engagement is unsatisfactory, or you fail to make satisfactory progress in your programme of study, the University may at any time temporarily suspend you from the University or permanently exclude you from the University. The decision about whether and to what extent you have breached this Regulation is an academic judgment made in accordance with the University’s Policy on Attendance, Engagement, and Progress or, in the case of postgraduate research students, the PGR Procedure on Attendance, Engagement, and Progress.

Guidance: If you are a student visa holder, breach of this Regulation 13 can have the serious consequence of the University withdrawing its sponsorship of your visa and will mean that you are withdrawn from the University.

13.3.      If you are on a taught programme, you may take a leave of absence of up to two weeks’ duration at any time during your programme of study, provided that you have the permission of your Head of School or someone that they have authorised to give permissions.

13.4.      Postgraduate research students may take a leave of absence in accordance with the PGR Procedure on Attendance, Engagement, and Progress.

Guidance: Guidance: Your School may grant permission if you have a good reason to be absent and you undertake to fulfil all obligations to the University required during this period. You are solely responsible for catching up with any missed work.

14. Professional conduct and suitability (fitness to practice) 

Guidance: A student (or professional) is said to be fit to practise where they have the skills and knowledge (competence), character, and health to practise safely and effectively. Anything that can impact on skills, knowledge, character, and health can compromise an individual’s fitness to practise. This means that fitness to practise may involve issues which arise outside of professional or clinical performance but which may impact on their professional suitability e.g. their fitness to practise.

Professional misconduct concerns may arise from a pattern of behaviours or an attitude or approach, from a single event or issue or a series of them, or from any other breach of these Regulations such that there are concerns that you are not meeting the expectations of the profession

14.1 If you are on a programme of study that may lead to entry to a profession overseen by a Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body, or you are accredited by or registered with such a Body you must

14.1.1 at all times act in a way that is compatible with the standards required by the profession. This is known as professional suitability.

14.1.2 not (a) jeopardise the welfare of your professional subject, such as a pupil, patient, or client; or the welfare of a colleague; or (b) contravene the relevant professional code of conduct. Doing so may constitute professional misconduct and may, depending on its nature and seriousness, also render you unsuitable for the profession.

14.2 You jeopardise the welfare of your professional subject if

14.2.1 you have, on the balance of probabilities, jeopardised the welfare of your professional subject; and/or

14.2.2 based on facts found proved on the balance of probabilities there is a real possibility (a possibility that cannot, in light of its nature and seriousness, safely be ignored) of you doing so in the future. 

Guidance: Fitness to Practise referrals should consider whether the referral should be made on the basis of professional conduct or professional suitability or both.

Fitness to Practise Leads should confirm with the Student Misconduct Investigative Team to determine whether the alleged conduct may also contravene any non-academic regulations.

14.3 This regulation 14 applies to you at all times that you are registered on your programme of study and are not limited to the periods spent on professional placement or on campus or to issues arising on placement or in a professional context.

14.4 If you are found to be in breach of this Regulation, the University may apply an outcome in accordance with the University Disciplinary and Investigative Policies and Procedures, such as requiring you to take specified steps to improve your fitness or in the case of professional misconduct to reflect on your behaviour (if any).

14.5 In determining the appropriate outcome, the university must consider whether you may become capable of meeting the requirements of the profession within a reasonable period (taking into account PSRB requirements and the usual length of your course). In some cases, the outcome may be expulsion from the University.

Guidance: Any outcome should be aimed at improving your fitness (if improvement is possible) rather than being punitive. We recognise that you may experience the process and outcome as punitive, but its aim is safeguarding the public and public confidence in the relevant profession.

Where the allegations involve breaches of other General Regulations, a penalty for those may be applied.

Where the school believes that its concerns are inextricably linked to your health and wellbeing or disability, the school should consider whether it is appropriate to direct you to the Student Engagement Procedure in the first instance, and refer onto SSDC only where in the school’s view the Student Engagement Procedure has not ameliorated its concerns or where risks to public safety and confidence mean that a referral to SSDC should be made immediately.

15. Misconduct in research and research ethics

15.1.  If you conduct research, you must act with integrity.

15.2. You must not act in a way that constitutes misconduct in research. Misconduct in research is fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, failure to meet legal, ethical and professional obligations, misrepresentation, impersonation, or any other practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within academic or scientific communities for proposing, conducting, or reporting research.

15.3. Honest error or honest differences in the interpretation or judgement of data does not constitute misconduct in research.

15.4. You must comply with the University Research Ethics Policy. Failure to do will be investigated as potential misconduct in research.

15.5. You must comply with the University Research Data Management Policy. Failure to do so will be investigated as potential misconduct in research.

15.6. Allegations of research misconduct shall be dealt with under the Procedures for Investigating Allegations of Research Misconduct Made Against Students

Guidance: Misconduct in Research includes but is not limited to:

•             Self-plagiarism: the reproduction, without acknowledgement, of one’s own previously written work.

•             Piracy: the deliberate exploitation of ideas from others without acknowledgement.

•             Fabrication: making up data or results and recording or reporting them.

•             Falsification: manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.

•             Plagiarism: the appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.

•             Mismanagement or inadequate preservation of data and/or other primary materials.

•             Misrepresentation of research data.

•             Misrepresentation of involvement in authorship.

•             Improper conduct in peer review.

•             Failure to declare a conflict of interest.

•             Failure to comply with the University Research Ethics Policy, such as conducting research for which the University requires there to be prior ethical approval when you have not secured that approval, or conducting research in a way that contravenes the terms of the ethical approval granted by the University or by other relevant bodies and accepted by the University as governing the conduct of the research in question.

•             Failure to follow accepted procedures or exercise due care when carrying out research, so that there is a risk of harm to people, animals, the environment, and/or cultural objects.

•             Impersonation

Misconduct in research does not include:

•             Honest error or honest differences in interpretation or judgement of data.

Guidance: Note that some aspects of research misconduct may break the law, including the criminal law, or incur civil penalties. The University will report such breaches as described in Part A2 of the University Disciplinary and Investigative Procedures and Powers.

16. Intellectual property, data protection, and copyright

16.1.    You must comply with the University’s Intellectual Property Regulations.

16.2.      You must not make copies of copyright-protected work beyond the limits set by statute by such licences as the University holds, or by guidelines published by the University. Copying means reproducing the work in any form including storage by electronic means in any medium.

16.3.      You must not upload copies of course materials including assessment materials, lecture recordings, or lecture slides to any publicly available website as this breaches the university’s copyright.

16.4.      You must not access, construct, maintain, or use computer or manual files of personal data relating to living individuals for use in connection with your studies or research without the written prior approval of your adviser or supervisor, copied to the University’s Data Protection Officer.

16.5.    You must abide by the Data Protection Principles whenever you access, use, or store personal data held by the University.

16.6.      In order that the University can comply with its licences for access to electronic resources, you must ensure the security and confidentiality of the electronic resources made available to you, whether that is via a university-owned device or any personal device you connect to the network. You must also ensure that any information you derive from these electronic resources are used only for the purposes defined in the relevant licence(s).

Guidance: Copies of the relevant licences can be obtained from the library. 

17. Attendance for assessment and submission to deadline

17.1.      You are responsible for noting correctly the times and places of examinations (including viva voce examinations) and course tests and the submission dates of coursework. No special arrangements can be made if you fail to attend an examination or course test at the proper time, or if you fail to submit coursework by the deadline.

Guidance: If you are too ill to attend an examination or course test, it is extremely important to be able to obtain contemporary evidence from your GP to explain your absence from the examination or course test. This means obtaining such evidence immediately on the day of the examination by going to see your GP or informing your GP in the event that you are too ill to do so. Even if you are not registered at University Medical Centre, you can still see a GP there about an absence from an examination or course test. You can use this evidence to support any application you make under the Exceptional  Circumstances Policy. You should also report your circumstances to your Learning and teaching Service Hub or to the Postgraduate Research Service as soon as possible.

In the event that there are non-medical circumstances preventing your attendance at an examination or course test, you should notify your Hub and collate evidence to support any application you can make under the Exceptional Circumstances Policy.

Guidance: If you are referred to Reassessment or have been granted a Delayed Assessment or Reassessment, or a Further Reassessment, you are expected to sit the examinations or course test (as appropriate) at the University. If you have serious exceptional circumstances which prevent you from returning to the University, you may apply to the Learning and Teaching Committee of Senate (via your Learning and Teaching Service Hub) for permission to sit at an overseas examination/test centre in your country of residence. The overseas examination/test centre will be subject to approval by the Associate PVC Education and Curriculum. In the case of postgraduate research students, your application should be made to the Postgraduate Research Service and your application will be subject to approval by the Associate PVC UEA Doctoral College and payment of the appropriate fee.

Permission to sit an assessment overseas is given only in exceptional situations because of the resource implications and the need to ensure the academic integrity of our assessments. Permission is at the discretion of the Associate PVC Education and Curriculum/ Associate PVC UEA Doctoral College. There is no appeal from the decision.

18. Plagiarism and collusion and academic integrity 

You must not commit plagiarism or collusion, as defined in the Policy on Plagiarism and Collusion, in any assessments.

Guidance: Where the student is a postgraduate research student, it may be more appropriate (because there are greater procedural safeguards) for any allegations of plagiarism to be addressed under Regulation 15.

19. Illegible or offensive material

19.1. You must not include gratuitously offensive material in any work submitted for assessment. If you do so, you are guilty of a breach of this Regulation.

19.2. You must ensure that work submitted for assessment is legible.

19.3. Gratuitously offensive work and/or illegible work will be dealt with according to the University Policy on Illegible or Gratuitously Offensive Assessment Submissions and may be dealt with as a breach of Regulation 13 and/or 14.

20. Behaviour in the examination 

20.1.      You must not commission or otherwise allowing another person to pass themselves off as you during an examination or course test.

20.2.      You must not impersonate another candidate at an examination or course test.

20.3.      During the examination or course test you must maintain good order and obey all instructions given by the invigilators. Invigilators may take appropriate action to ensure the integrity of the assessment.

20.4.      You must not enter the examination or course test room more than 30 minutes after the scheduled start time of the examination or leave the examination or course test room in the first 30 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the examination or course test. 

Guidance: Apart from these periods, you may leave the examination/room temporarily only under supervision and, if visiting the toilet, must sign out and in again. If you have to leave your desk, you must move quietly and create as little disturbance as possible.

20.5.      You must not communicate with anyone other than an invigilator in the examination or course test.

20.6.      You must write your answer legibly in ink unless you are told otherwise.

20.7.      You must not turn over the question paper or write on the question paper or your answer booklet until you are told to start the examination or course test. You must not continue to write in examinations or course tests after you have been instructed to stop.

20.8.      You must not remove any answer booklets or other stationery. You must not remove any assessment materials in OSCE assessments.

20.9.      If an invigilator has a reasonable suspicion that you have brought unauthorised materials into an examination or course test room, you must comply with any request by him or her to empty your pockets of all contents and turn your pockets inside out; remove outer items of clothing; pull back long hair to reveal ears and/or neck; roll up sleeves or trousers; remove socks and shoes.

Guidance: Failure to comply with this request will be a breach of these Regulations. Moreover, the University may determine that such failure supports a finding that you do indeed have unauthorised materials in your possession.

20.10.     You must not take into the examination room:

20.10.1. Any coats, jackets, or bags where there is provision for separate storage of these items

20.10.2. Any materials – such as blank paper, ear plugs, notes, texts, mobile telephones, dictionary pens, visual aids, smart watches, electronic devices, audio equipment, and any other devices capable of receiving, storing, or transmitting data – unless they are specifically authorised for use in the examination or course test.

20.11.    If you find yourself in possession of a coat, jacket, bag, or unauthorised materials you should immediately notify the invigilator.

20.12.    You must give to the invigilator any items that the invigilator indicates they believe are unauthorised.

Guidance: You must not cheat in an assessment of any kind, including examinations, course tests, and coursework. Cheating in an assessment is defined as an attempt to gain an advantage by unfair means. Where you are suspected of cheating, the University will take action in accordance with the relevant Disciplinary procedure.

If you are suspected of any form of cheating, the invigilator should, in accordance with Part C of the University Disciplinary and Investigative Powers and Procedures:

Step A: Immediately inform you that you are suspected of cheating.

Step B: Request your student card, which you must provide in accordance with Regulation 10.1.3.

Step C (applicable only where there is a reasonable suspicion that you have brought unauthorised materials into an examination or course test room): Ask you to empty your pockets of all contents and turn your pockets inside out; remove outer items of clothing; pull back long hair to reveal ears and/or neck; roll up sleeves or trousers; remove socks and shoes. You must do this in accordance with Regulation 20.9. If you request, and if this is reasonably practicable, we will try to ensure that this search is carried out by a person of the gender of your choice in a private room.

Step D: (applicable only where there is a reasonable suspicion that you have brought unauthorised materials into an examination or course test room): Confiscate any materials they believe to be unauthorised.

Step E: Mark your answer booklets with the time at which the suspicion arose.

Step F: Tell you to wait behind at the end of the examination in order to be interviewed by the venue’s invigilation manager.

Step G: Thereafter allow you to continue with the examination or course test.

Step H: At the end of the examination, interview you about the suspected breach of the General Regulations and provide you with a handout about the procedure.

Step I: Notify the University Assessments Office, so that disciplinary proceedings can be started against you.

Guidance:  The University may be required to report students on programmes of study that qualify them into a profession overseen by a Professional Statutory Regulatory Body. However, there are other programmes at UEA, such as in LAW or PSY, where misconduct such as criminal offences, criminal cautions, or breaches of these Regulations (especially those relating to plagiarism and collusion or cheating) can prevent a student from gaining entry to a profession even though the University has no role in directly qualifying students into the profession.

For example, unless there are exceptional circumstances the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority will refuse admission to the solicitors’ profession to those who have committed a deliberate assessment offence which amounts to plagiarism or cheating.

You should therefore ensure that you are familiar with the expectations of any organisation that may regulate you in the future.

21. Use of an electronic calculator 

Please note that these general regulations have been suspended for 2023-24 (unless the assessment specifically prohibits the use of a calculator or dictionary).  The regulations will be reviewed again in July 2024. 

21.1.      You may use an electronic calculator in examinations and course tests unless the Learning and Teaching Committee of the Senate on the recommendation of the Board of the School has prohibited the use of calculators in that examination or course test. Using a calculator which is not authorised is a breach of Regulation 20.10.

21.2.      Where the use of a calculator is permitted, you are responsible for providing your own calculator and for ensuring that it is in working order. That calculator must be a model that appears on the University’s list of approved calculators.

Guidance: Your calculator may be checked by the Invigilator in the examination/course test room. Calculators that do not comply with the above requirements will be removed from you and disciplinary proceedings started. The University has a list of approved calculators .

22. Use of a dictionary 

Please note that these general regulations have been suspended for 2023-24 (unless the assessment specifically prohibits the use of a calculator or dictionary).  The regulations will be reviewed again in July 2024. 

22.1.      If your first language is not English you may use a dictionary in any examination or course test unless it is expressly forbidden, such as where the purpose of the assessment is to test competence in a language.

22.2.      Where the use of a dictionary is permitted, you are responsible for providing your own dictionary and that dictionary must:

22.2.1.  be paper-based, unless you have an approved assessment adjustment allowing a dictionary in an alternative format.

22.2.2.  be of a type that is on the University’s list of approved dictionaries.

22.2.3.  be English to a foreign language, foreign language to English and/or foreign language to foreign language.

22.2.4.  not be a technical dictionary or a dictionary that contains content other than simple translations.

22.2.5.  not contain any notes, tabs, or annotations other than your name. Any notes, tabs, or annotations discovered in a dictionary will be treated as evidence of an intention to cheat.

22.3.      Use of a dictionary which is not authorised is a breach of Regulation 20.10.

Guidance: Your dictionary may be checked by the Invigilator in the examination room. Dictionaries that do not comply with the above requirements will be removed from you and disciplinary proceedings started.

23. Conferment of qualifications

23.1.      You must not describe yourself as holding a degree or other qualification granted by the University unless the qualification has been awarded to you at Graduation or by special resolution of the Senate.

23.2.      If you are a candidate for a degree (including a degree apprenticeship), postgraduate certificate or diploma, or Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education, you can elect to present yourself in person at Graduation or elect to have the qualification conferred in absentia.

23.3.      If you have been excluded from all University Property (referred to within the Disciplinary Procedures as SSEP) for a period of time which includes your scheduled Graduation ceremony, or you have been expelled from the University, your award, if any, shall be conferred in absentia irrespective of the location of the Graduation ceremony.

23.4.      Any certificate or other document issued by the University as verification that you are a student remains the property of the University. If a member of staff or officer of the University asks you do so, you must show or surrender the certificate or document. The University imposes a charge for a replacement.

 

24. Fitness for study

You must be sufficiently fit to be able to fulfil the academic requirements of your programme of study, including those related to attendance and engagement.

Guidance: Sometimes students, staff, or officers of the University may have serious concerns about the wellbeing of a student, and feel it inappropriate to trigger a disciplinary process. If this is the case, then the University may review the student’s fitness in accordance with the Fitness for Study Policy and may choose to suspend any disciplinary proceedings pending the outcome of that fitness process. The Fitness for Study policy is designed to place the student’s wellbeing at the centre of decision-making, while also ensuring the good order of the University and the wellbeing of staff, other students, and officers.

25. Registration with a general practitioner

25.1.      You are required to register with a general practitioner (GP) within ten kilometres (6.2 miles) of the address at which you live during semesters if you:

25.1.1.  Are a full-time student registering for a programme of study that exceeds three months’ duration; and/or

25.1.2.  Intend to reside in University Residences for longer than three months.

Guidance: If you live on campus or elsewhere in Norwich we recommend that you register with University Medical Services.

26. Tuberculosis screening

26.1.      Whether or not you are registered with University Medical Services, you must be screened for tuberculosis at University Medical Services within 28 days of registration for a programme of study at the University if your programme of study is longer than three months’ duration and

26.1.1.  you are usually resident in a country listed by University Medical Services as high risk for tuberculosis, or

26.1.1.1.              you were born in a country listed by University Medical Services as high risk for tuberculosis, or

26.1.1.2.              you have been travelling or living in such a country for at least six of the last twelve months

unless your programme of study was immediately preceded by a previous programme of study at the University and you were screened when you started that previous programme.

26.2.      If your screening results are not available within 42 days of registration at the University, you may be suspended from the University (and therefore from University Property) until the screening process is completed.

Guidance: You can find the list of high risk countries on the UEA Medical Centre: New Patients.

The cost of student screening will be paid by the University.

If you are a postgraduate student accompanied to the UK by your family, the University Medical Service may also offer them the opportunity to be screened. We recommend that you take up this opportunity, but you will be charged a fee for this.

A programme that was immediately preceded by a previous programme of study means one at the University or INTO UEA which finished fewer than six months ago.

27. Infectious illness

27.1. An infectious illness is one that is listed by UEA Medical Services here.

27.2.      You must immediately tell University Medical Services and the Director of Student Services if:

27.2.1.  you are suffering from an infectious illness, or

27.2.2.  you or a medical doctor suspect that you are suffering from an infectious illness, or

27.2.3.  you are living with someone else who has an infectious illness.

27.3.      The Director of Student Services may decide to quarantine you for the isolation period recommended by University Medical Services. You must comply with the terms of the quarantine.

Guidance: Where it is possible for you to return to your own home or your parents’ home without risking infecting others, the Director of Student Services or their representative will usually arrange for you to do so.

27.4 If you do not comply with the terms of the quarantine, the University may suspend you and make you leave campus in accordance with paragraph E3 of the Disciplinary Procedures and Powers. Any suspension and exclusion (SSEP) shall come to an end upon receipt of a certificate from a medical practitioner licensed by the General Medical Council which says that you no longer present a risk of infection to other people

28. Students on placements

28.1.      If your programme of study includes any form of clinical placement:

28.1.1.  You are required to present evidence of a satisfactory standard of health and level of immunisation in accordance with criteria published by your School of study before being permitted to undertake such a placement.

28.1.2.  you must contact the Occupational Health department of the University for advice if you believe that you have come into contact with someone suffering from an infectious illness as defined in 27.1 above or believe for any other reason that you may place a patient or vulnerable person at risk of infection. You must also comply with such advice.

28.2.      If your programme of study includes a requirement that you undergo a disclosure and barring check before undertaking any form of research or placement (whether clinical or otherwise), you must consent to such a check and provide a copy of the results to your School of study.

28.3.      If your programme of study includes a requirement that you undergo occupational health clearance for exposure prone procedures you must cooperate with this clearance requirement.

28.4.      If you do not comply the requirements of this paragraph 28 you are not eligible to undertake the placement and you may be excluded from the module and/or programme, and/or suspended from the University.

There is a Code of Practice on Placement Learning and Workplace Learning.

29. Payments of invoices

29.1. You must pay all fees and other charges (including fines) levied by the University in accordance with its Schedule of Fees and Charges.

Guidance: Even if you arrange for a third party to pay fees and charges on your behalf, such as a parent or sponsor, you are responsible for ensuring payment.

29.2.      These must be paid to the University within 28 days of the date of the University’s invoice, unless a different period for payment is specified.

29.3.      If you do not pay fees and other charges within 28 days of the date of the University’s invoice (or such other period as may be specified), the University may choose to impose late fees, as set out in the Schedule of Fees and Charges. Such fees are payable for each 28 days or part thereof that the fees or any part thereof remain outstanding after the initial 28 days (or such other period as may be specified).

29.4.      If you have agreed with the University that you may pay in instalments but you do not pay your instalment on the due date, the University may withdraw the right to pay by instalments and the invoice shall immediately become payable in full.

29.5.      If a grant or payment is due to be made to you by the University, the University may reduce that grant or payment by the amount of any outstanding debt or set off against the outstanding debt.

29.6.      You must pay the appropriate fee laid down in the Schedule of Fees and Charges in order to be eligible for assessment.

Guidance: Assessment fees are currently included in the annual tuition fee but reassessment fees are currently payable in addition.

29.7. If you withdraw from assessment or do not submit an assessment item, or you leave the University without submitting an assessment, you are not entitled to recover any proportion of the tuition fee or assessment fee or reassessment fee paid and no part of the fees are transferable to a later assessment, unless the University at its discretion agrees.

30. Effect of non-payment on programme of study and qualifications

30.1.      If you do not pay all outstanding fees and charges to the university by the due date and you have not agreed with the University a revised payment timetable, you may be suspended by the University until such time as the fees and charges are paid in full. If the sum or any part thereof remains outstanding for more than 12 months, you will be automatically withdrawn from the University unless the University expressly agrees otherwise.

30.2.      No degree, diploma, or other qualification shall be conferred upon you if you have not fulfilled all academic-related financial obligations to the University.

30.3.      You are not permitted to register with University for a programme of study (whether fresh or renewed) if you have any academic-related financial obligations to the University that are outstanding from a previous academic year or programme, including those that have accrued during a break in your studies or vacation.

Guidance: Academic-related financial obligations include but are not limited to tuition fees, charges relating to attendance at field trips, and other charges relating to your programme of study.

Guidance: If you are in difficulties about paying any fees or charges due, you should immediately make contact with the University’s Finance Division to discuss your payment options. Advice can also be sought from the Students’ Union and Student Support Services.

IMPORTANT: The Regulations covering academic awards state that your studies must be completed in a specified amount of time. There may be situations where you are suspended and then pay your fees and charges but are still not permitted to re-join your programme of study because of the length of time that has passed.