Courting controversy: the use of trigger warnings in teaching human rights law – The Law Teacher

Posted March 15th, 2024 in education, human rights, legal education, mental health, news, universities by sally

‘This article explores how legal academics approach sensitive topics in human rights law, specifically how content is chosen, curated and discussed with students. It draws on data collected as part of a small pilot study which looked at how human rights academics approach “controversial” topics and how their views on controversy and sensitivity may be reflected in their curriculum. It focuses on the wider debate around trigger warnings in higher education and explores how academics use them. It concludes that, despite their negative reputation, “trigger warnings” can play a necessary and welcome role in navigating sensitive material.’

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The Law Teacher, 1st March 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

UK science minister apologises and pays damages after academic’s libel action – The Guardian

‘Michelle Donelan, the science minister, has apologised and paid damages after accusing two academics of “sharing extremist views” and one of them of supporting Hamas.’

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The Guardian, 5th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Students think they need connections to progress legal career – Legal Futures

Posted February 28th, 2024 in diversity, equality, law firms, mental health, news, solicitors, statistics, universities by sally

‘A significant number of students think nepotism and connections are important to progress in the law, according to research which found that this did indeed help some get jobs.’

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Legal Futures, 28th February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Oxford University tutors secure employee status – Solicitors Journal

Posted February 23rd, 2024 in contract of employment, employment, employment tribunals, news, universities by michael

‘The ruling highlights the power imbalance between precarious tutors and the prestigious institution, prompting calls for a re-evaluation of employment practices in higher education.’

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Solicitors Journal, 22nd February 2024

Source: www.solicitorsjournal.com

Bristol University loses appeal over suicide of disabled student on exam day – The Guardian

Posted February 15th, 2024 in appeals, disabled persons, examinations, mental health, news, suicide, universities by sally

‘The family of a disabled undergraduate who killed herself on the day of a “truly terrifying” oral exam have won the latest stage of a legal battle to compel universities to take more care of students struggling with their mental health.’

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The Guardian, 14th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge criticises Home Office errors in Palestinian refugee’s visa case – The Guardian

‘The home secretary has given an “unreserved and unqualified apology” to a Palestinian refugee for “serious errors” made in relation to her student visa application.’

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The Guardian, 13th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office plans new protest offences and anti-Zionism is a protected belief – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Home Office has announced its intention to create new offences relating to actions taken by attendees at protests. The plans include making it an offence to possess flares or pyrotechnics at a protest, to wear a face covering at a protest, and to climb on war memorials. The changes will be added as amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill. The Home Office has emphasised that the new rules are not a blanket ban on face coverings, and only apply where the protester’s intention is to conceal their identity.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th February 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Anti-Zionism as a protected belief: Miller – Law & Religion UK

‘In Dr David Miller v University of Bristol [2024] ET 1400780/2022, the claimant was appointed Professor of Political Sociology at the University from 1 September 2018. In 2019 there were complaints about his conduct, including what was said to be his use of antisemitic language. The Community Security Trust charity said that a lecture he had given had been a “false, vile, anti-Semitic slur”. As part of the internal complaints procedure the University appointed an independent barrister to investigate; the overall conclusion of the resulting report, delivered on 4 December 2020, was that there was no formal case to answer in connection with any of the matters investigated.’

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Law & Religion UK, 7th February 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Bristol University academic unfairly dismissed for anti-Zionist views – BBC News

‘An academic experienced discrimination when he was sacked from his university for comments he made about Israel, a tribunal has ruled.’

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BBC News, 6th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BSB to scrap requirement for barristers to have a degree – Legal Futures

Posted January 16th, 2024 in barristers, education, examinations, legal education, news, universities by tracey

‘The Bar Standard Board (BSB) is planning to scrap the requirement that Bar students have at least a lower second-class degree, opening the way for those with third-class degrees or no degree at all to become a barrister.’

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Legal Futures, 16th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Students can make provocative remarks if they do not break law, watchdog says – The Guardian

‘University staff and students can make provocative statements on subjects such as Israel and Gaza as long as they do not break laws on incitement or harassment, under proposals by the government’s campus free speech tsar.’

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The Guardian, 14th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘The law needs to catch up on student mental health’ Published 8 hours ago – BBC News

Posted December 11th, 2023 in bereavement, duty of care, families, mental health, news, suicide, universities by tracey

‘A court case this week could change the way universities are expected to look after their students – including their mental health.’

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BBC News, 11th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High court to consider whether universities owe students legal duty of care – The Guardian

‘The high court is to consider for the first time whether universities owe a legal duty of care to their students, which campaigners argue would save lives and bring England and Wales in line with other countries.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

BSB takes action over worst-performing Bar training course – Legal Futures

Posted September 1st, 2023 in barristers, examinations, legal education, news, statistics, universities by sally

‘Would-be students on last year’s worst performing Bar training course – at Hertfordshire University – cannot start it this month after the Bar Standards Board (BSB) intervened.’

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Legal Futures, 1st September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Alerter by Thomas Evans – Potential Group Action stayed for ADR – Henderson Chambers

‘The High Court has stayed a potential group action against University College London, which cancelled in-person teaching (due to industrial action and Covid-19) but without making any fee adjustments. Whilst the High Court did not require the parties to engage in any particular form of ADR, the stay was imposed in the context of the defendant’s proposal that the claimants should submit complaints to a statutory adjudication scheme. The stay was imposed against the wishes of the claimants, who – whilst expressing a willingness to engage in ADR – did not want to participate in the particular form of ADR proposed by the defendants.’

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Henderson Chambers, 27th July 2023

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

McGaughey v USS Ltd – derivative actions against directors of a corporate pension trustee – Pensions Barrister

‘In McGaughey v USS Ltd [2023] EWCA Civ 873, two active members of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (the “USS”) applied for permission to continue a derivative action on behalf of the corporate trustee of the USS, Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited (“USSL”), against its current and former directors. USSL is a company limited by guarantee of which its directors were the members. By the derivative action, the two USS active members sought to cause USSL to sue the corporation’s directors for alleged breaches of the duties owed by the directors to USSL. The Court of Appeal refused to permit the claim to go forward.’

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Pensions Barrister, August 2023

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

British academic asks Foreign Office for formal apology over failure to spot torture during his detention in UAE – The Independent

‘The Foreign Office failed to notice signs of torture and provide help to a British academic during his detention in the United Arab Emirates, a watchdog has found.’

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The Independent, 4th August 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Case for Caution in Making Social Class a Protected Characteristic under the UK’s Equality Act 2010 – Oxford Human Rights Hub

Posted August 3rd, 2023 in education, employment, equality, news, universities by sally

‘Momentum is growing in the UK to make social class a statutory protected characteristic. The Co-Op, The British Psychological Society, and the Bridge Group, amongst others, have proposed legislative reform to prohibit class discrimination. This may look like an “easy win”, especially for political parties puzzling over their manifestos and wanting to signal tangible action to combat the cost-of-living crisis. Yet there are considerable risks that this legal reform would either achieve little or actually hamper initiatives to combat socio-economic inequality.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 3rd August 2023

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

What is changing for International Students in July 2023 – EIN Blog

Posted July 19th, 2023 in education, employment, news, universities, visas by tracey

‘From 17 July 2023, international students can only switch into a sponsored work route (the Skilled Worker or Scale-up Worker) after they have completed their course of studies. PhD students can switch into the sponsored work route 24 months after the start date of the course.’

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EIN Blog, 19th July 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

High Court directs UCL students to resolve their claim out of court – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A judge has paused a multi-million-pound student group action claim against a London university over Covid and strike disruption and encouraged parties to resolve their dispute away from court.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th July 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk