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MY BITTER EXPERIENCE IN HERIOT WATT UNIVERSITY
My name is Olufemi Adekomaya. I write this to inform the public through the social media community about my ordeal at Heriot Watt University as a former PhD student.
I do not intend to bring down the reputation of the school or anybody mentioned in this write-up, however, I believe the society should be aware of the atrocities and inhumane behaviour of some of the lecturers which I encountered at the University and how the University treated my complaint. PLEASE KINDLY VIEW THE ABOVE ATTACHMENTS IN SUPPORT OF MY CASE.
This issue has left me aggrieved, depressed and this sometimes causes me to experience psychological instability. I have tried my possible best to seek or broker a resolution with the University, but my voice has been systematically suppressed. I therefore want to crave your indulgence by asking you to patiently read through my write-up before passing any honest advice or suggestions. I will like to assure you that my write up on this issue is the truth and nothing but the truth. I am prepared to upload the entire evidence in connection to this matter should that prove to be necessary as time unfolds. I believe the United Kingdom is a peaceful country and actually known for justice, therefore I want to make this public until justice is served in my case and those responsible for this injustice are fished out and made accountable for the deliberate breach of duty of care owed to me. My predicament is narrated below:
I registered as a PhD student at the Heriot Watt University on 23rd October 2014 under the supervision of Professor Bahman Tohidi as my primary supervisor and Dr Rod Burgess as my second supervisor. Prior to obtaining an offer of admission from the University, Prof. Bahman Tohidi conducted a telephone interview with me and had assured me that Herriot Watt University had the necessary equipment to enable me carry out my PhD research successfully. At the time of the interview I was a lecturer at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Shortly after I commenced my research work at Heriot Watt University, I discovered that the equipment which I needed to conduct my research was in Professor Bahman Tohidi’s personal company called Hydrafact situated in the University. I was permitted to use this equipment, but I was informed by Professor Bahman Tohidi in an email that it was for commercial purpose and sometimes it would be under commercial use for two or more weeks. Due to the fact that it was for commercial purpose, I did not have regular or reasonable access to it.
During the period I was under the supervision of Prof. Bahman Tohidi, he demonstrated an aggressive attitude towards me. On 21st May 2015 I tried to discuss the progress of my PhD research work and to obtain an update which I needed to submit to my sponsor in Nigeria. Prof. Bahman Tohidi felt I was pressuring him and yelled at me, claiming I was too eager to finish the PhD before the actual time. He then threatened me with termination of my PhD studies. At first, I was perplexed at this unwarranted outburst. I became distressed at his threat and I expressed my dissatisfaction to the postgraduate coordinator -Dr Jinsheng Ma and the student Hub. I informed them both of my concerns and my fear of approaching my supervisor as a result of his outburst. The student hub advised me to change my supervisor if I was not comfortable with him.
On several occasions, all the communication updates, progress reports as well as experimental results of my research work sent to Professor Tohidi were neither read nor acknowledged, thus frustrating my academic efforts. On 14th November 2014, 23rd October 2015, 26th October 2015, 6th November 2015, 23rd November 2015 and 27th November 2015, I sent him various emails on my PhD work which he did not respond to. On the 30th October 2015, when I requested for the intended publication manuscript, Prof Bahman Tohidi reacted angrily again in an outburst that he does not like supervising Nigerians. I believe this kind of prejudice should not be tolerated in any form.
Due to the negative psychological impact of his aggressive behaviour on me, and the fear of another outburst or threat from him, I approached the post graduate coordinator Dr Jinsheng Ma on this issue on at least four occasions. I further met the Head of the Institute Professor Dorik Stow three times to solicit for a change of supervisor based on the advice from the student Hub. I even suggested that I was willing to commence a different research topic with a different supervisor who will be more approachable. However, my request was not granted.
Following my request for a change of supervisor, the post graduate coordinator Dr Jinsheng Ma advised me to try and form a cordial relationship with my supervisor, which further proved impossible. The Head of the Institute Professor Dorik Stow then assured me that he would discuss with my supervisor and whilst I was expecting the outcome of this discussion, I received a notice from the post graduate coordinator Dr Jinsheng Ma informing me of my upcoming annual review. Considering the already existing issue between me and my supervisor, I was a bit wary of the proposed annual review meeting. A day before my annual review, I sent a reminder about the request for a change of my supervisor with details of the psychological trauma and distress that this situation has caused me which was already obvious to Prof Dorrik Stow and Dr Jinsheng Ma. Again, Prof Dorik Stow replied and assured me that everything would be resolved during the annual review. I expected this issue to be resolved at the annual review meeting based on the assurance given to me by Head of the Institute-Prof Dorik Stow. Contrary to his assurance, I was asked to compulsorily withdraw from my studies after the annual review which lasted for about four hours. During the annual review, my primary supervisor Professor Bahman Tohidi accused me of intellectual property theft (He said I stole some ideas from his computer which I do not even have access to). This so called idea was an information he had asked me to provide from my experiment. Prior to this annual review, on the 13th July 2015, Professor Bahman Tohidi had phoned me to request a summary of my experiments and explanation for a forthcoming presentation to an oil company. I happily provided a summary of my findings under short notice to him which he forwarded to the oil company. I still have the email he sent to me regarding his request for my experimental results and the forth coming presentation.
After the annual review, I appealed against the decision of the University to withdraw my PhD programme but my appeal was rejected on three different occasions. I appealed on the grounds that my request for a change of supervisor was denied and that my annual review was not free and fair, given that my supervisor was determined to have me leave without a justifiable reason. The University however maintained their decision, stating that I should have built a cordial relationship with my supervisor and that the University does not change a student's supervisor during their first year of research, a rule which is clearly not documented in the student-supervisor handbook.
I paid Twenty two thousands nine hundred and fifty pounds (£22,950) as tuition fees for a year and am wondering why the university would admit a student without having the necessary facility? It was UNFAIR for me to go through the hassle of waiting for the availability of equipment from his company which was for commercial and profitable use. Secondly, the university policy on not changing the student supervisor during the first year of PhD programme was neither communicated at the onset nor documented in the student–supervisor handbook. This so called policy was manufactured by the school to defend themselves. If this was the case, why didn’t the postgraduate coordinator or head of school inform me immediately when I requested for a change of supervisor?
The university failed to investigate my complaint properly. I have seen cases where students have been allowed to change supervisor when the relationship between them was irreparable in the first year of their PhD programme in the same university. The question now is, on what grounds were those who changed their supervisors in the first year of their PhD programme allowed to do so? Having exhausted the appeal procedures at the university, and failing to obtain justice, the University told me to appeal to the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) if I was not satisfied with their decision.
Due to this injustice, I felt suicidal and so psychologically distraught that I sought medical advice on 10th December 2015 from my local GP Practice.
I made a complaint to Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO). I urged the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) to intervene in the matter and to order the university to
The Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) carried out a thorough investigation on the matter that lasted for almost one year. On a particular occasion when I requested for an update from the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO), the officer handling my case wrote to me informing me that the university had delayed unnecessarily in providing the necessary information. The outcome of the investigation by the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) stated that the university had erred in refusing my request for a change of supervisor even when they were aware of the irreparable relationship and the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) recommended that the university should apologise for their failings and a payment of £1500 should be made as compensation and in addition my school fees should be refunded. However, the university neither refunded my school fees (£22,950) nor did they allow me to continue my research.
From my personal data collected from the university through Subject Access Request process, I discovered that the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) and the university had already communicated and agreed to refund my school fees (£22,950) with a compensation of £1500 and an apology letter. The university concealed this vital information from me when communicating their response to me. The university sent me an apology letter asking me to send my account detail for the payment of £1500 to compensate me for the time delayed but they neither mentioned nor refunded my school fees.
The Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) communicated the outcome of their findings to Heriot Watt University and me. I personally wrote to the university to express my grievances and to request the desired compensation but the university failed to respond to my request. In one of their letters the University agreed that they were negligent of their duties and lackadaisical about my concerns. This has set me back academically, financially and psychologically. Following the termination of my studies by the University, I made strenuous efforts to secure alternative admission in another school. Even though I had been treated unjustly and unfairly, I decided to forge ahead and continue my studies in another institution. I requested for further funds for my maintenance and other miscellaneous fees from my sponsor in Nigeria. My sponsor was reluctant to release this fund based on the decision of the Heriot Watt University. I have faced financial hardship, physical breakdown, emotional and psychological trauma due to the negligent act of Heriot Watt University. They have acted below the required standard and failed to render the service which they are expected to have done.
The responsibility of the university is to abide with the code of conduct on data protection based on Section 7.4.10. Which says that ‘’The Institution will ensure that all data relating to Students will be handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act.’’ This section of the code of conduct was breached by the Heriot Watt University when they disclosed my personal data to a third party in Nigeria without my verbal/written consent. I was sponsored by the University Of Lagos Nigeria through Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) but the Heriot Watt University went ahead to write to The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in Nigeria without my knowledge with the intention to undermine me. This had made my life insecure.
I do not deserve what I went through in the hand of a cruel supervisor who would always rant and shout at a vulnerable and helpless student like me who seemed to be at his mercy.
As a result, I became a self-sponsored student and could not continue with my studies due to the resulting financial constraints. My PhD studies are on hold until this matter is settled without which my future is at stake. I had called upon the University to make reasonable reparation for my losses, injury and neglect but the University refused and had delayed unreasonably in dealing appropriately with my entire complaint.
I do not wish for anyone to go through this same bitter and horrendous ordeal that I have been subjected to.
Email: femiadekomaya@yahoo.com