‘Urgent explanation’ sought over second university exam result leak

Published on 06/08/2012 17:50

A SECOND university has been strongly criticised for revealing exam results ahead of their official publication tomorrow.

• Robert Gordon University (RGU) email reveals exam results to 370 candidates

• ‘Technical glitch’ follows a similar error made by St Andrews University

Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen emailed 370 candidates congratulating them on gaining entrance to the university.

The university has blamed a “technical glitch”.

It comes just three days after “a computer error” allowed some St Andrews University candidates to access their exam results early.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), which sent the exam results to universities under embargo and is due to send them to 160,000 students tomorrow, said they are still awaiting “an urgent explanation” from RGU.

An SQA spokesman said: “Sending this email obviously indicates how well or otherwise applicants have done in their SQA examinations.

“SQA results are due to be announced tomorrow. Universities receive results under strict embargo from Ucas (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) in advance of general publication, so as to ease the nationwide university entrance process.

“This error by RGU comes only a few days after St Andrews University had broken the results embargo by posting SQA results on its website.

“This latest breach, at a particularly stressful time for candidates, is very disappointing and regrettable.

“We are expressing our frustration in the strongest possible terms and demanding a detailed explanation from RGU.”

An RGU spokesman blamed the emails on “a technical glitch in the system used to send out mass communications”.

He said the SQA were informed as soon as the email was sent out and that they have been in dialogue with the authority throughout the day.

The spokesman said: “An email which was scheduled to go out tomorrow to applicants was sent this morning by mistake.

“The email was cancelled as soon as the error was spotted but 370 applicants had already received it.

“An email will be resent tomorrow to all students who have an unconditional offer at the university.

“RGU would like to apologise for any confusion or anxiety caused by this mistake.”

Scottish Conservative education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: “It is regrettable that universities are breaking this embargo and it is unfair to many pupils.

“It will be a particular matter of concern for those who have applied to Robert Gordon and not received this email.

“Waiting to discover exam results is a nervous enough time for pupils, parents and teachers, and for this to happen again is something that has to be addressed and prevented from occurring in future.”