Sophia Shahid shows an email she received from Queen Mary University of London saying she couldn't graduate because of industrial action taken by academic staff across the U.K. at London's Queen Mary University, London, Thursday, August 3, 2023. Hafsa Yusuf was supposed to graduate last week. The 21-year-old English literature major had spent 200 pounds on graduation gown rental, photography and tickets for her family to attend the ceremony.
Yusuf and the class of 2023 had already endured severe disruptions to their college experience. They entered university in 2020, at the height of COVID-19 lockdowns. Then came university staff strikes, part of a huge and ongoing wave of industrial action by hundreds of thousands of U.K. workers to demand better pay amid a cost-of-living crisis.
The uncertainties have been particularly worrying for international students, who face additional complications and costs to remain in the U.K. Those hoping to stay in the country to look for work can only apply for a graduate visa after they get their degree. Like many other students, Altamimi stressed that her anger and frustration isn't directed at her teachers, but rather at senior university leaders. They argue that college leadership has the power to stop the disruptions, but chose not to negotiate to end the dispute or address the reasons behind the industrial action.