ARU to 'robustly defend' legal action by graduate
Disgruntled student says she graduated with 'Mickey Mouse' degree
Anglia Ruskin University chiefs insist they will ‘robustly defend’ their position after facing legal action from disgruntled graduate Pok Wong.
The 29-year-old graduate is suing the university for £60,000 over her ‘Mickey Mouse’ degree in international business strategy.
Ms Wong maintains that since graduating it has been proven that the degree does not play a role to help secure a rewarding job with prospects.
She added that the prospectus claims about employment prospects and education quality encouraged her to move from Hong Kong to Cambridge to study.
The £60,000 she is asking for includes her tuition fees and living costs during the two-year course.
Ms Wong told the Sunday Telegraph: “Although I graduated with a First Class degree in 2013, it is a Mickey Mouse degree.
‘I hope that bringing this case will set a precedent so that students can get value for money, and if they don’t they get compensated. Anglia Ruskin talked a good talk, but then didn’t deliver.”
But a spokesperson for ARU said: “We are well aware of the claims made by this former student, who was recruited in 2010 and awarded in 2013, and we are robustly defending the current litigation.
“Despite being awarded a First Class degree she attempted to disrupt her own graduation ceremony in 2013 as part of her dispute with the university, an action which would have damaged the experience for many other graduating students.
“Her complaints have been through the full Office of the Independent Adjudicator process. She then made a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office which was rejected after a thorough investigation.
“Subsequently she has launched legal action against us and has been required to pay our costs at an earlier hearing.
“As this case is before the court we will not be saying anything further at this stage.”