• What to know

    Universities have formal grievance policies—use them as your roadmap. Keep a dated record of incidents, witnesses, emails, and outcomes.

    Steps

    • Download and complete an incident log.

    • Check the university’s grievance policy deadlines and stages.

    • Submit in writing; ask for acknowledgement and a timeline.

    • If stalled or unfair, get advice from your union/ACAS and escalate.

    Use this next

    • Grievance Survival Toolkit → /toolkits/grievance

    • ACAS early conciliation (before ET1).

  • Your rights (UK GDPR / DPA 2018)

    • Article 15: Subject Access (your personal data).

    • Article 16: Rectification.

    • Article 18: Restriction of processing.

    • Article 19: They must tell you about rectification/restriction/erasure to recipients.

    • FOI (FOIA 2000): Institutional info (not your personal data).

    Tips

    • Include a preservation notice (no deletion after your request).

    • For FOI, ask for Section 16 advice to narrow if near cost limits.

    Use this next

    • Data Governance Toolkit → /toolkits/data-governance

  • Protected disclosure (PIDA) if it’s in the public interest and you reasonably believe wrongdoing (e.g., legal breach, safety risk, cover‑up).

    Routes

    • Internal: line manager/whistleblowing policy.

    • External (prescribed persons): ICO, EHRC, HSE, etc.

    Note: OfS is not a prescribed person under PIDA (still useful regulatorially).

    Use this next

    • Whistleblowing Toolkit → /toolkits/whistleblowing

  • Universities must provide a safe environment for staff/students; duties arise from Equality Act 2010, Health & Safety at Work Act, and institutional policies.

    Do

    • Report concerns in writing; request a case reference.

    • If ignored, escalate to appropriate regulators (e.g., OfS for systemic matters; HSE for safety).

    Use this next

    • Safeguarding Toolkit → /toolkits/safeguarding

  • Make it transparent

    • Ask for criteria, scoring rubrics, and timelines.

    • Keep evidence (teaching, research, service, impact).

    If unfair

    • Request feedback in writing.

    • Challenge on process/equality grounds where justified.

    Use this next

    • Academic Promotion Unpacked → /toolkits/promotion

  • You can pursue internal and external routes in parallel.

    Who

    • ICO: data protection/SAR issues.

    • EHRC: discrimination/PSED breaches.

    • OfS: systemic governance/safeguarding (not a PIDA prescribed person).

    • ACAS: conciliation guidance.

    Use this next

    • Engaging Regulators Toolkit → /toolkits/regulators

College classroom with students seated at desks, some taking notes, listening to a professor standing next to green chalkboards filled with mathematical equations.