Thousands of former students are poised to receive a portion of £21 million following a legal claim they initiated regarding disruptions to their education caused by the coronavirus lockdowns.
University College London (UCL) has agreed to disburse the multimillion-pound sum to approximately 6,500 individuals, although they have not accepted any liability. The case involving UCL was scheduled to be heard in court in March.
The Financial Times has disclosed that the specific amount each individual will receive is yet to be determined. The students alleged that they did not receive the complete educational experience they had paid for due to the Covid-related lockdowns, which led to campus closures and a shift to online learning.
Legal experts suggest that this agreed-upon settlement may prompt other universities to compensate their graduates. Student Group Claim is representing roughly 194,000 claimants across 36 other universities.
UCL announced on Friday that a confidential settlement had been reached. The university clarified in a statement that while they did not admit any fault, they opted for a settlement to resolve the matter amicably and avoid additional expenses that could divert resources from teaching, research, and student support.
Adam Zoubir, a partner at Harcus Parker solicitors representing the claimants suing UCL, expressed satisfaction with the settlement, noting that it provides closure for the clients affected by the online class transitions during the pandemic at UCL. However, the legal team continues to advocate for thousands of students who faced similar circumstances at other universities during the Covid crisis.
Shimon Goldwater, a partner at Asserson solicitors involved in the UCL case, also welcomed the settlement as a positive outcome for their clients. The focus will now shift to claimants who attended different universities during the pandemic, according to Student Group Claim.
A spokesperson from Universities UK acknowledged the challenges universities and students faced during the pandemic, emphasizing that institutions had to adapt quickly to government directives during lockdowns, which sometimes restricted in-person teaching. Universities responded by implementing innovative methods to allow students to complete their degrees amidst the disruptions.