A student who has spent ‘thousands’ of pounds trying to sue his university over his degree grade will take his legal battle to the highest court in the UK
A student who has spent ‘thousands’ of pounds trying to sue his university over his degree grade will take his legal battle to the highest court in the UK.
Umer Riaz, 33, tried to get £200,000 in damages from the University of South Wales after receiving a pass grade in 2016.
He claimed the university was unreasonable for not giving him the opportunity to continue his studies by completing outstanding modules, so he could get an honours degree.
The claim was struck out of county court in Cardiff on Thursday after Mr Riaz was described as having ‘no prospect of success’ by the university.
Umer Riaz, 33, tried to get £200,000 in damages from the University of South Wales after receiving a pass grade in 2016, claiming he was not allowed to complete outstanding modules
Mr Riaz, who came to Cardiff to study from Islamabad, Pakistan and received the equivalent of a third class degree, said: ‘I’m going to fight this even if I have to take it higher, even to the UN.
‘I’m very, very keen that I take it as high as I can.’
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A spokeswoman for the University of South Wales said all processes were followed ‘fairly and accurately’.
Mr Riaz, who came to Cardiff to study from Islamabad, Pakistan, received the equivalent of a third class degree
Mr Riaz started his BSc hons chemistry degree in 2011 but re-sat his first year after failing to get the credits needed.
In 2014, after suffering from poor health, the student said he ‘suffered a fall’ on site, causing his second year modules to be deferred until the next year.
As a result, Mr Riaz did not cover enough credits for an honours degree, and reached the maximum registration period leave application for fever in school his course.
In a claim brought against the university, the international student described its decision not to take allow him to take outstanding modules as ‘unreasonable’.
But the university said Mr Riaz’s claim failed to highlight ‘any cause of action’ and that arguments of ‘unreasonableness’ did not fall under the court’s jurisdiction.
Mr Riaz, who represented himself, said: ‘I was quite good at my studies and I passed my English courses back home.
‘I was the youngest and my family wanted to give me the opportunity for higher study.
My parents are illiterate, they didn’t go to school.’
Mr Riaz started his BSc hons chemistry degree in 2011 but re-sat his first year after failing to get the credits needed
He added: ‘A pass doesn’t mean anything to me.
Having a pass degree is not going to help me to get anything.
‘I wanted to do a PhD in organic chemistry. I was in my final year starting to apply for jobs in Europe, in the Middle East and do further studies.