Petitions/Create a statutory body to oversee university academic appeals
StatusClosed
Opened14 Jul 2025
Closes14 Jan 2026
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

Introduce an external body with the power to oversee university appeals in real-time, not just after issues arise. This must include clear deadlines and enforceable consequences if universities make serious or repeated errors.

We think students deserve fair, evidence-based grades and the right to challenge any serious procedural failures. We feel that at some universities marks may be lowered through peer review without enough evidence, which could impact a student’s final degree classification. Yet in our view, there is currently not an adequate way to appeal this. The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), which handles university complaints can take months, has limited powers, and public trust is low, which we think reflects serious student dissatisfaction. We believe earlier, enforceable oversight is needed so students are not left powerless.

10,000
100,000

Constituency engagement ranking

Rachel Blake
1Rachel Blake MP
Cities of London and Westminster
3
Jeremy Corbyn
2Jeremy Corbyn MP
Islington North
2
Neil Coyle
3Neil Coyle MP
Bermondsey and Old Southwark
1
Daniel Francis
4Daniel Francis MP
Bexleyheath and Crayford
1
Calum Miller
5Calum Miller MP
Bicester and Woodstock
1
Sarah Jones
6Sarah Jones MP
Croydon West
1
Danny Kruger
7Danny Kruger MP
East Wiltshire
1
Vicky Foxcroft
8Vicky Foxcroft MP
Lewisham North
1
Rachel Hopkins
9Rachel Hopkins MP
Luton South and South Bedfordshire
1
Greg Smith
10Greg Smith MP
Mid Buckinghamshire
1