Thousands of former students are poised to receive a portion of £21 million following their legal action regarding disruptions to their schooling amid the COVID-19 lockdowns. University College London (UCL) has agreed to distribute the multi-million sum among approximately 6,500 individuals, without accepting any responsibility for the situation. The case involving UCL was scheduled for a court hearing in March.
According to the Financial Times, the specific amount each student will receive remains undetermined. The students argued that they did not obtain the complete educational experience they had paid for due to the pandemic-related closures of campuses and the shift to online learning.
Legal experts anticipate that this agreed-upon payout may prompt other universities to compensate affected students. The Student Group Claim is advocating for about 194,000 claimants from 36 different 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 chose to settle to resolve the matter amicably and avoid additional costs that could detract from their core missions of teaching, research, and student support.
Adam Zoubir, a partner at Harcus Parker solicitors representing the claimants against UCL, expressed satisfaction with the settlement, noting that it brings closure to the matter for the UCL attendees during the pandemic. Shimon Goldwater, a partner at Asserson solicitors, echoed similar sentiments and highlighted the ongoing representation of students who attended other universities during the same period.
In response to the settlement, a spokesperson from Universities UK acknowledged the challenges faced by institutions and students during the pandemic, emphasizing the swift adaptations made by universities to continue providing education under evolving circumstances.
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