Indian students not left in lurch

I write in response to your disingenuously headlined lead article ("Overseas PhDs in UNL row", THES, September 6) regarding the position of four PhD students wishing to transfer to the University of North London under the direction of David Taplin, our former director of research.

The article concerns the formal enrolment and academic registration of four PhD students transferring from Plymouth University, where they were working with Professor Taplin. One student was nearing completion and the three Indian students were at an earlier stage in their research.

The students were sent clear information on the university's procedures for formal enrolment and the separate process of registering a proposal for a research degree.

The research proposals were considered by our research degrees committee according to normal procedures and were approved for registration on academic grounds. The students were informed of this approval for registration of their research proposals.

Students must also complete the enrolment process, including the payment of fees. In all four cases, this process did not take place and therefore no contractual agreement exists between the university and the students.

To state that "confusion surrounds the students' registration" implies confused procedures. This is not the case.

Confusion has been created by the actions of the former director of research (chair, research degrees committee April 1995-February 1996).

The formal admission of the students to the university has now been rendered impossible by the termination of employment of the director of research.

The university does not have a member of staff with appropriate expertise to supervise the research proposals. The students would not be best served by admitting them under these circumstances and indeed it would be irresponsible to do so.

Although the university has established that it has no legal obligation to the students, there is, as always, a concern for the students' interests. While the university is not obliged to do so, considerable efforts are being made to identify possibilities for alternative supervisory arrangements.

Discussions have taken place directly with one of the students and a representative of the university has arranged to meet with Dr Pandey to discuss possibilities for the Indian research students.

Moira Storey Academic registrar University of North London