The Rt. Honourable Michael Gove MP Jan. 29, 2013Member of Parliament for Surrey HeathSecretary of State for Educationministers@education.gsi.gov.ukSec-OF-STATE.PS@education.gsi.gov.uk

Dear Mr. Gove,

I am an American external student attending the University of London (UoL) International

Programmes (formerly ‘External Programmes’). I am writing to you because a grave injustice is being

perpetrated against tens of thousands of foreign students from around the globe at UoL International

Programmes, and as foreigners we have no elected representative in the UK to whom we can turn. Since

you are the Secretary of State for Education, I wanted to raise this concern with you, since it is within

your power to right this wrong.

I am a 35 year old engineer residing in Oklahoma USA in the final year of my LL.B. studies. I am

likely the only student from Oklahoma attending the program, and currently have a 2:1 average, placing

me in the top 10% of my class. Due to my genuine belief in England and admiration for its legal

traditions which have been a light to the world, I preferred to pursue an LL.B. at UoL instead of studying

law in the US, and for the past two and half years have invested tireless effort into my studies with the

hope of achieving marks that would permit me entrance to a graduate law program in either Oxford or

Cambridge.

So you are aware, the International Programmes operates via correspondence – our subject guides

and textbooks are mailed to us, and additional resources are provided online. From the time which we

receive our learning materials in the post, we have approximately seven months to prepare for our final

exams. Each of these annual exams is three hours, taken at specified testing centres, and the marks we

receive are the sole determinant for our final grades.

The substantial quality of the law program is excellent, yet it has a major flaw in that there is no

openness and transparency in the most important measures our studies – our grading. For the past two

years I have been continually advocating for greater transparency in grading and have written multiple

emails to the program Director, but no action has been taken. As independent learners, we are

completely reliant on the University to provide us with proper direction on how to prepare for exams, yet

the only specific guidance we receive are examiner reports, which are overly-general and very lacking,

and in no way properly prepare us. In addition to this, our graded exam scripts, the only interaction we

ever have with an academician at the University, are never returned to us. The reason for this was

explained to me in a formal response to one of my letters by the Director of Corporate Performance and

Quality, where she stated “Students do not have the right to the return of examinations scripts which are

exempt under the freedom of information legislation.” Additionally, from discussions I have had with

many students, it seems as though grades are not based on any set standard or benchmark, and are purely

subjective. This is a problem that must be remedied, and can only be addressed through greater

transparency. Lastly, our grades cannot be appealed, and marks awarded by mysterious examiners whom

we do not know nor have any interaction with, are final.

As external students, we have no benefit of interaction with professors or lecturers. All the more

so, the University should provide us ample feedback so we can progress scholastically and learn how to

improve as we progress in our studies, yet, despite this, the University provides us nearly zero feedback.

In summary, our grades and in many ways our futures (potential employment and further educational

pursuits) are determined in the dark, and we are not provided any guidance on how to improve.

These rigid university policies do not advance our education, they impede it. They drain our

desire to study and create animosity and loathing for the institution and sully on the reputation of England

and English law among the many thousands of foreign students who attend the programmes – many of

whom reside in third world countries and for whom the price of this education is very steep. This should

not be so. English law and justice is a beacon of hope to the world, and institutions that teach this law

have an obligation to treat its students fairly and justly.

Since the University has taken no action regarding my requests, and because time is of the

essence considering that our 2013 exams commence in May, I took the sole initiative to build the website

www.llbstudentvoice.org to air my grievances and advocate for many students who feel as I do. Attached

to the website is petition (goo.gl/xF4MC) with a list of requested changes to the programmes, and in the

past three weeks since being online it has received 73 votes from students around the globe. I have

received many additional emails from students stating their support for my cause, but expressing

unwillingness to broadcast their opinions for fear of retribution by the University in marking their exams,

a fear which I feel is unfounded but understandable, and emanates from the lack of openness and

transparency in grading. Additionally, many of these foreign students interpret that England is somehow

complicit in this injustice perpetrated against them since no external force has compelled the University to

change its methodologies and implement openness. It is important that steps are taken to change these

negative opinions.

In this modern era, the problems I raise can be remedied easily and inexpensively, and the

ultimate winners from these proposed changes will be the tens of thousands of students that attend the

International Programmes and the University itself. Additionally, in an age where prices of higher

education are steeply rising, teaching institutions will tend to gear themselves towards correspondence

programmes and online platforms to lower costs and increase accessibility. In this regard, England is at

the forefront, with more external programmes from respected institutions than any other nation. For the

sake of keeping England in the lead of this soon to be dynamic trend, I feel that Parliament should pass

a law to create standardization in external education programmes, since at present, individual

Universities such as UoL are dreary in their responses to the necessities and demands of their

students. In fact, if one takes the time to read many of the comments left by students on my website

(http://www.llbstudentvoice.org/blog-speak-up.html) and the petition, one can sense a latent anger among

external students which emanates from a lack of objectivity and consistency in grading. With the passage

of a law to implement standardization for external teaching programs, student anger will be transformed

into student satisfaction and admiration of England’s respect for individual rights.

I humbly invite you to browse my website and petition (www.llbstudentvoice.org and

goo.gl/xF4MC), and will gladly answer any and all questions you may have. Additionally, if you feel this

cause warrants and invitation to England to appear as a witness or spokesperson for external students on a

committee, it will be my great honour to attend.

I hope you find merit and value in my cause, and humbly wish that you stand with us in

solidarity. Urgent action is desired by many.

Yours Sincerely,

Moshe Y. Admon, B.Sc., B.A.

LL.B. Candidate, 2013jeffadmon@gmail.com