Cardiff University Bond Solon (CUBS) Certificates / Qualifications

The request was refused by Cardiff University.

Dear Cardiff University,

Can you please provide me with PDFs of the different template diplomas used by Cardiff University to issue expert witness certificates on behalf of Bond Solon since the CUBS scheme came into existence with the Heads of Agreement in 2005.

It is Crocels News's understanding that a change to the design of the certificate was ordered by Kathryn Clauge of Cardiff University following a decision of the Office of the Independent Adjudication for Higher Education in 2016.

Crocels News is in possession of documents showing that Bond Solon were advertising the CUBS certificate as a qualification accredited by Cardiff University but that Cardiff University were only awarding it with the status of continuing professional development.

Crocels News would like to see the at least two different designs to the CUBS certificate / qualification diploma.

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Bishop MCIJ
on behalf of Crocels News, LLC

InfoRequest, Cardiff University

Dear Jonathan,

I acknowledge receipt of your email dated 13th October 2020.

Your request will now be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and has been allocated reference FOI20-353 which should be quoted in all correspondence. We will respond to your request research projects within 20 working days starting the next working day after receipt, therefore you can expect to receive a response no later than 11th November 2020.

Please note that in order to fulfil your request we need to liaise with other teams across the University. Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic most staff are now working remotely, and it is likely that there will be a delay in responding to your request. Staff may not be able to assist as they may need to prioritise other work, cover for colleagues who are ill or be away from work themselves due to illness. However, we will do our best to meet this deadline and keep you informed should we be unable to do so.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and, if that is the case, we will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

University Secretary’s Office
 
Swyddfa Ysgrifenydd y Brifysgol
Cardiff University
 
Prifysgol Caerdydd
Friary House
 
Friary House
Greyfriars Road
Cardiff
 
Heol y Brodyr Llwydion
Caerdydd
CF10 3AE
 
CF10 3AE
 
 
 
E-mail: [email address]
 
We welcome correspondence in Welsh or English. Corresponding in Welsh will not lead to any delay.
 
E-bost: [email address]
 
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth trwy’r Gymraeg neu’r Saesneg. Ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhyw oedi.

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InfoRequest, Cardiff University

Dear Jonathan

 

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information request dated
13/10/20. 

 

For ease of reference, I have reproduced your question below and set out
our corresponding response.

 

Can you please provide me with PDFs of the different template diplomas
used by Cardiff University to issue expert witness certificates on behalf
of Bond Solon since the CUBS scheme came into existence with the Heads of
Agreement in 2005.

 

 

The University considers that the documents requested are exempt from
disclosure under Section 31 of the FOI Act 2000, Law Enforcement, and
specifically Section 31(1)(a) - the prevention or detection of crime.
Certificates are legal documents which can give access to a profession and
can only be supplied to people who successfully complete the course.
Supplying templates even in PDF form, could enable the production of
forged certificates.

 

Section 31 is a qualified exemption and requires the University to carry
out a public interest test.

 

Public Interest Test

 

Factors in favour of disclosure

There is a general public interest in demonstrating transparency in the
operations of the University.

Factors in favour of non-disclosure

There is a public interest in not disclosing information that would
compromise the integrity of the certification of the completion of courses
undertaken at the University. Certificates are legal documents which may
give access to a profession and can only be supplied to people who
successfully complete a course of study.

 

On balance the University considers that the public interest is weighted
in favour of non-disclosure.

 

However in the interests of transparency we are prepared to share the
wording contained in the documents as follows:

 

Document issued in 2015: This is to verify that, having followed an
approved training programme and successfully completed each of the
required assessments of the Cardiff University Law School Bond Solon
Expert Witness Scheme, xxx has been certified by Cardiff Law School as an
Expert Witness this xx day of xxxx.

 

Document issued in 2018-present: This is to verify that, having followed
an approved training programme and successfully completed each of the
required assessments of the Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness
Scheme, xxx has been certified by Cardiff School of Law and Politics as an
Expert Witness this xx day of April xxxx.

 

 

I trust this information satisfies your enquiry.  The University has a
Freedom of Information Complaints Procedure should you feel dissatisfied
with this response or the way in which your request was handled.
Complaints must be made in writing and must set out why you believe the
University has not met its obligations under the Freedom of Information
Act.  You may email your complaint to [1][email address] where
it will be forwarded to the Head of Assurance Services who will be
responsible for overseeing the review.

 

If you remain dissatisfied following the outcome of your complaint, you
have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for
consideration.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at the
following address: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Cardiff University. If you require further assistance please feel free to
contact us.

 

Yours sincerely

 

University Secretary’s Office   Swyddfa Ysgrifenydd y Brifysgol
Cardiff University   Prifysgol Caerdydd
Friary House   Friary House
Greyfriars Road   Heol y Brodyr Llwydion

Cardiff Caerdydd
CF10 3AE   CF10 3AE
     
E-mail: [2][email address]   E-bost:
[3][email address]
 We welcome correspondence in Welsh
or English. Corresponding in Welsh  Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth
will not lead to any delay. trwy’r Gymraeg neu’r Saesneg. Ni
fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu
unrhyw oedi.

 

 

References

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3. mailto:[email address]

Dear Cardiff University,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Cardiff University's handling of my FOI request 'Cardiff University Bond Solon (CUBS) Certificates / Qualifications'.

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 you have a duty to assist. Just because you feel you can provide the designs of the two different diplomas you should still explain how they differ.

It is in the public interest for the pubic to know how Cardiff University changed the design of its certificates prior to it telling the Office of Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (the OIA) that it's "C.U.B.S." programme was CPD to what it looked like after it had claimed the programme was only CPD as its training partner Bond Solon had been advertising the "C.U.B.S." programme as a qualification for many years, but after the OIA investigation started to advertise them as certificates only.

The public has the right to know whether the text on the certificates prior to the OIA investigation suggested the diploma was a qualification and whether the new diploma created after the OIA investigation took away any suggestion it was a qualification.

Prior to the OIA investigation, an internal investigation found that the "C.U.B.S." programme was a post-graduate qualification with a 100% pass mark. This was later denied, with it being claimed the "C.U.B.S." course advertised as an accredited qualification by Bond Solon is only CPD. A review followed and the design of the diploma was changed. It is believed this was done to remove any suggestion that the "C.U.B.S" programme was a credit-bearing qualification, as Bond Solon were advertising it to be previously.

Please explain what has changed about the design since the internal investigation found it was a post-graduate qualification with a 100% pass mark to the point after the OIA were told the "C.U.B.S" programme was CPD only, and not a qualification, leading to the design of the diploma being change and Bond Solon changing how it advertised the course.

It may be the case for instance that the original diploma suggested it was a qualification but the new diploma suggests it is only CPD. It is in the public interest for this to be verified.

A full history of this FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Bishop
on behalf of Crocels News, LLC

InfoRequest, Cardiff University

Dear Jonathan

I acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information Act Complaint received by this office on 19th November 2020.

Your complaint has been referred to Head of Compliance and Risk, who will aim to respond to your request within 20 working days starting the day after receipt. Therefore you can expect to receive a response no later than 18th December 2020.

In some circumstances we may not be able to meet this deadline and if this is likely to be the case we will contact you as soon as possible and give you a revised date for response.

Yours sincerely

University Secretary’s Office
 
Swyddfa Ysgrifenydd y Brifysgol
Cardiff University
 
Prifysgol Caerdydd
Friary House
 
Friary House
Greyfriars Road
Cardiff
 
Heol y Brodyr Llwydion
Caerdydd
CF10 3AE
 
CF10 3AE
 
 
 
E-mail: [email address]
 
We welcome correspondence in Welsh or English. Corresponding in Welsh will not lead to any delay.
 
E-bost: [email address]
 
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth trwy’r Gymraeg neu’r Saesneg. Ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhyw oedi.

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InfoRequest, Cardiff University

1 Attachment

Dear Jonathan Bishop

Please see attached our response to your request for an internal review.

Yours sincerely

Swyddfa Ysgrifenydd y Brifysgol
Prifysgol Caerdydd
Ebost : [email address]  

Mae'r Brifysgol yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg neu'n Saesneg.  Ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhwy oedi.
University Secretary’s Office
Cardiff University
Email: [email address

The University welcomes correspondence in Welsh or English.  Corresponding in Welsh will not lead to any delay.

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