Ex-student sues Oxford, says his 20-year-old degree failed to give him success

A graduate who tried to sue Oxford University because he just
missed out on earning a top degree has had his claim thrown
out.

Faiz Siddiqui wanted £1m in damages from the university over
what he described as “negligently inadequate teaching” that
affected his degree grade 20 years ago.

Siddiqui, of Bayswater, west London, claimed that the 2:1 degree
had a “marked deleterious effect” on his subsequent career.

However, High Court judge, Mr. Justice Foskett, ruled against
the graduate, who was 39 at the time of the trial, after deciding
that the “delivery” of part of a history course in 1999-2000 was
not “negligently inadequate.”

Justice Foskett said: “Whilst it cannot be said that some aspect
of a person’s education – inadequately delivered – can never be the
cause of that person’s failure to achieve some otherwise attainable
objective, the hurdles in establishing a claim for compensation
based upon that inadequate delivery are great and often
insurmountable.

“In this case, I have not been satisfied that the delivery of
one particular feature of the claimant’s undergraduate degree
course was inadequate or, in any event, that it had the
consequences claimed for it.”

Faiz Siddiqui

In his ruling, the judge explained how Siddiqui, who was 39 at
the time of the trial and obtained a 2:1 after studying at
Brasenose College, had worked for a number of law firms after
leaving university.

Siddiqui said he would have gone on to become an international
commercial lawyer if he had obtained a First Class.

The judge went on to warn other students who think university
courses were not value for money about the dangers of taking legal
action in the hope of getting compensation.

Justice Foskett said the quality of education will undoubtedly
come under greater scrutiny as students run up debt.

But the judge says litigation is costly and “fraught with
difficulty.”

He said: “There must be a better way of dealing with this kind
of issue if it cannot be resolved by the individual concerned
simply accepting what has happened and finding a positive way
forward.”

(Yahoo News UK)

A graduate who tried to sue Oxford University because he just
missed out on earning a top degree has had his claim thrown
out.

Faiz Siddiqui wanted £1m in damages from the university over
what he described as “negligently inadequate teaching” that
affected his degree grade 20 years ago.

Siddiqui, of Bayswater, west London, claimed that the 2:1 degree
had a “marked deleterious effect” on his subsequent career.

However, High Court judge, Mr. Justice Foskett, ruled against
the graduate, who was 39 at the time of the trial, after deciding
that the “delivery” of part of a history course in 1999-2000 was
not “negligently inadequate.”

Justice Foskett said: “Whilst it cannot be said that some aspect
of a person’s education – inadequately delivered – can never be the
cause of that person’s failure to achieve some otherwise attainable
objective, the hurdles in establishing a claim for compensation
based upon that inadequate delivery are great and often
insurmountable.

“In this case, I have not been satisfied that the delivery of
one particular feature of the claimant’s undergraduate degree
course was inadequate or, in any event, that it had the
consequences claimed for it.”

Faiz Siddiqui

In his ruling, the judge explained how Siddiqui, who was 39 at
the time of the trial and obtained a 2:1 after studying at
Brasenose College, had worked for a number of law firms after
leaving university.

Siddiqui said he would have gone on to become an international
commercial lawyer if he had obtained a First Class.

The judge went on to warn other students who think university
courses were not value for money about the dangers of taking legal
action in the hope of getting compensation.

Justice Foskett said the quality of education will undoubtedly
come under greater scrutiny as students run up debt.

But the judge says litigation is costly and “fraught with
difficulty.”

He said: “There must be a better way of dealing with this kind
of issue if it cannot be resolved by the individual concerned
simply accepting what has happened and finding a positive way
forward.”

(Yahoo News UK)