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This Procedure relates to appeals submitted by applicants for admission to research study or research funding which have been unsuccessful.

It should be noted that the only acceptable grounds for appeal are procedural irregularity or bias in the selection process. No appeal will be considered which challenges a decision made on academic grounds. The process is as follows:

Stage 1

a) the applicant will write to the Doctoral College within three weeks of the date of notification of the outcome of his/her application indicating the grounds for appeal.

b) The Doctoral College will request the Dean of the appropriate faculty with the Chairperson of Doctoral College Board (or a nominee external to the faculty) to convene a meeting of the appropriate selection panel to review the selection materials. The review will be chaired by the Dean and a decision will be made in consultation with the Chairperson of the Doctoral College Board (or nominee). Support will be provided by the Doctoral College.

  1. If no prima facie case is disclosed in the review of the selection materials, the Dean will write to the applicant indicating that no evidence of procedural irregularity or bias could be found.
  1. If a prima facie case is disclosed in the review of the selection materials the Dean will recommend that appropriate remedial action be undertaken, i.e. that the applicant be given the opportunity to be interviewed again by a different panel and his/her ranking amended where appropriate.

Stage 2

c) should the applicant choose not to accept the decision that there is no prima facie case under 1b.i. (above), he or she has recourse to the PVC (R&I) and must write within three weeks of the notification of the outcome of the review indicating why the decision is not acceptable.

d) the PVC (R&I) will convene a panel including the Head of Equality and a lay member of the Council and supported by the Doctoral College. The Doctoral College will give the applicant ten days’ notice in writing of the date of this meeting and will inform him/her that he/she has a right to present his/her case in person and to be accompanied by a member of Ulster University of his/her choice.

  1. If no case is disclosed, the PVC (R&I) will write to the applicant indicating the outcome.
  1. If a case is disclosed the PVC (R&I) will agree that appropriate remedial action, as indicated under 1b.ii. (above) is carried out.