University of Chichester Ordered to Compensate Students After African History Course Axed

An independent adjudicator has ruled partly in favor of students who challenged the University of Chichester after their African history course was abruptly terminated in 2023.

The university suspended recruitment for its research master’s (MRes) in the history of Africa and the African diaspora without prior notice, making the course leader, Professor Hakim Adi, redundant.

Thirteen students took legal action against the institution after the sudden termination of their program, leaving them stranded midway through their studies.

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) for Higher Education upheld parts of the students’ complaints, ruling that they had a legitimate expectation to be taught by an expert under whom they had specifically enrolled.

The OIA found that the university had promoted its program on the basis that students would “learn directly” from Adi, whom it described as the only professor of African and African diaspora history in Britain. As a result, the university has been ordered to compensate the affected students.

Jacqueline McKenzie, a human rights partner at Leigh Day representing the students, hailed the ruling as a “significant victory,” emphasizing that students should receive the education they were promised.

The decision has been welcomed by education and racial justice advocates, including Timi Okuwa, CEO of the Black Equity Organisation, who described it as a “significant step in the fight for racial justice and educational fairness.”

Adi, who had worked at the university for over a decade and founded the MRes in 2017, saw the program’s termination spark widespread backlash, with thousands signing a petition demanding its reinstatement.

The decision to cut the course came amid a financial crisis in UK higher education, prompting criticism that cost-cutting measures disproportionately targeted programs addressing racial disparities.

A university spokesperson defended the move, stating that the closure was due to financial pressures and enrolment trends, and denied any discrimination. The spokesperson noted that the OIA’s ruling was only partially upheld on procedural grounds.