The students at London Metropolitan University want to change the time of year for when the graduation ceremony takes place as well as some of the factors that determine the time frame.

We want the graduation ceremony to take place during the summer period i.e. July, it is unfair that the students have to wait until December to participate in this very special occasion, this becomes especially difficult for international students as well as students who begin their course in February who then have to wait until the end of the calendar year.

London Metropolitan University has a large number of international students and the current date for the graduation ceremony puts all the students especially the international students through unnecessary distress and financial hardship.

The current December date for the graduation ceremony leaves almost a 10 month gap  between the end of university and the actual graduation ceremony, life is unpredictable and no one knows what they will be doing in 10 months time let alone plan to attend a ceremony that is in one of the busiest and family orientated months of the year. If all was to go well after completing our degrees we should be in employment and who knows where in the world such opportunities will take us. The unfairness continues into our pockets and becomes a financial burden for us all, especially the international students who then have to leave the country and return (which is dependent upon a visa) with possibly their family members in order to celebrate their achievements, also with December being the festive month of preparing and celebrating Christmas, the inflated prices for travel as well as all things material during this holiday period just burdens the students with more debt and again is unfair. 

We have been told that the reason for this is because some students need to re-sit their exams and the results of the re-sits would not be back in time for the graduation, well some students have questioned why they should be punished for the acts of others, if students need to re-sit an exam then let them wait an extra year to attend their graduation and let the students who have achieved their goals have their day with their families within a reasonable time frame and cost.

If you feel that the current graduation ceremony date for December is unfair and you would like to see it change (to summer) so that it takes place sooner rather than later then please sign this petition and I will present your concerns to the university and get them to make some positive changes. 

Please contact Amar Sharif at ams0591@googlemail.com if you would like any further information or have any queries regarding this petition.