Student Charter

The University prides itself on being student orientated but also research intensive.

By aligning teaching and research we provide high quality, research-led programmes of study that makes use of the lecturers’ disciplinary research to introduce our students to the latest findings in their chosen discipline.

The University will:

• Invest in first-class facilities and resources to sustain an active learning environment.
• Deliver excellent teaching driven by staff research.
• Provide constructive, appropriate and timely feedback.
• Ensure students receive appropriate academic guidance.
• Equip students with relevant, transferable and highly valued skills to aid personal development and enhance employability prospects.
• Provide opportunities to study or work abroad as part of your programme, without adding to the length of a degree.

Students are expected to:

• Take responsibility for personal learning and attend all learning sessions.
• Attend examinations and submit work on time, making full use of feedback, guidance and advice.
• Frequently check the timetable for updates to lectures, seminars and exams.

We want our students to enjoy their time at University. Quality of life is therefore as important to us as offering a fantastic education.

A range of support services are also provided to achieve solutions for most of the challenges of student life.

The University is committed to student well-being and health, and a Health and Wellbeing Policy as well as other relevant policies are in place.  These include support for mental health and supporing suicide-safer approaches.

The University will:

• Provide everyone, no matter who they are, with equal access to opportunities.
• Safeguard students from harm/abuse.
• Foster an environment in which everyone is treated with dignity and respect and providing a mechanism by which unacceptable behaviour can be reported.
• Provide accessible, responsive and inclusive pastoral and professional support services to enable students to develop the skills to achieve solutions for most of the challenges of student life and beyond.
• Implement our student mental health and wellbeing strategy which is based on the principles enshrined in #Step Change and Suicide-safer Universities frameworks in 2019–20 and Mentally Healthy Universities 2020.
• Work with AberSU to meet the institutional Environment and Sustainability goals and policies.

AberSU will:

• Support a wide range of sports, societies and volunteering activities.
• Provide students with impartial advice, information, representation and support.
• Partner with students, the University, alumni, and the local and wider community to enhance student life at Aberystwyth.

Students are expected to:

• Understand and adhere to University rules, regulations and policies.
• Inform the University of anything affecting wellbeing and success.
• Respect University property, equipment, facilities, and teaching/study spaces.
• Make the most of our time at Aberystwyth University.

The University and AberSU are committed to engage a student voice that resonates throughout the whole Aberystwyth experience.

The University will:

• Involve elected student representatives as full partners in University decision making.
• Respond proactively to the student voice.

AberSU will:

• Represent students across the University and beyond.
• Engage with student representatives in a shared commitment to enhance the academic experience and University life.

Students are expected to:

• Engage with student representatives in a shared commitment to enhance the academic experience and University life.

The University has a strong and proud history of teaching a range of subjects and undertaking research through the medium of Welsh. We will continue to improve and enhance Welsh-medium opportunities for our staff, students and visitors.

Working with the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol – a national institution that has a key role in the planning, maintenance and development of Welsh-medium education and scholarship – the University has been awarded grants to fund lectureships, scholarships, projects and modules. The University also has an active Branch of the Coleg.

The University is subject to the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and complies with the relevant Welsh Language Standards.

The University will:

• Provide opportunities to study, undertake research, and access student support through the medium of Welsh.
• Increase the Welsh medium portfolio through internal investment and by taking advantage of national schemes to develop the provision.
• Offer the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol’s Language Skills Certificate as a means for all students to demonstrate Welsh language skills.

The University services its contractual obligations to students and complies with its commitments under consumer law as outlined by the Competition and Markets Authority.

In doing so, the University will work to protect the student interest when responding to circumstances such as significant changes to how a course is delivered or course closure. The University has in place procedures to respond to these circumstances which will mitigate the potential impact on students and which recognise the different needs of its diverse student body.

The University will:

• Communicate clear and accurate information on all aspects of the Aberystwyth University experience.
• Publicise full, transparent financial information on the cost of study.

AberSU will:

• Operate democratically and transparently in line with its constitution and best practice.
• Read and become familiar with the information made available to students, including University email and AberLearn.

Students are expected to:

• Read and become familiar with the information made available to students, including University email and AberLearn.

The University is committed to developing and promoting equality and diversity in all our practices and activities. We aim to work, study and provide an inclusive culture, free from discrimination and upholding the values of respect, dignity and courtesy. Every person has the right to be treated in accordance with these values.

The University will:

• Meet its statutory responsibilities regarding equality, diversity, safeguarding, and protected characteristics.

The University is committed to ensuring a high quality educational experience for all its students, supported by appropriate academic, administrative and welfare support services and facilities.

However, there may be occasions when students are dissatisfied with the teaching and learning facilities, or services, provided. The University believes that students should be entitled to have access to an effective system for handling complaints and that they should feel able to make a complaint, secure in the knowledge that it will be fairly investigated.

AberSU also has an appropriate procedure in place to deal with any complaints.