Student regulations (i.e. EEL and internal appeal)

EEL-regulation

Education, Examination and Legal position regulations for students

The Dutch version is approved by the Board of Governors of Hasselt University in June 2023.
Applicable to all programs and postgraduates of Hasselt University/tUL.

Internal appeal

Against which decisions can I file an internal appeal?

(article 1.2 Legal position regulations) (article 19.2 EEL 2023-2024)

Any student who feels that an unfavourable study progress decision was affected by a violation of his rights may file an internal appeal, on condition that this issue was not the subject of a previous appeal. an unfavourable study progress decision is:

  • an examination decision, i.e. any decision (whether or not based on a deliberation) that involves a final judgement on whether or not one or several program components or an entire program/postgraduate should be passed;
  • an examination disciplinary decision, i.e. a sanction that has been imposed as a result of certain events during an examination;
  • granting a certificate of proficiency, indicating that a student on the basis of previously acquired competences or previously acquired qualifications acquired certain competencies;
  • granting an exemption, i.e. removing the obligation to take an examination for a program component;
  • a decision imposing a bridging and/or preparation program and establishing the study load of such a program;
  • imposing a measure of study progress monitoring;
  • refusing a student with an individualised study program to take up a particular program component in the study contract for which he has not registered before;
  • a decision concerning the equivalence of a foreign diploma of higher education with a Flemish diploma of higher education, taken pursuant to article II.256 of the Codex higher education;
  • an individual decision concerning the refusal of enrolment based on the insufficient or negative learning account (below 0) of a student.

I want to file an internal appeal. How can I do this?

(article 1.3 Legal position regulations) (article 19.3 EEL 2023-2024)

The formal appeal shall be filed by means of registered letter to the chairman of the Internal Appeals Committee within 7 calendar days:

tav Department Educational Policy and Quality Assurance
Céline Jaspers
Secretary Internal Appeals Committee
Universiteit Hasselt
Martelarenlaan 42
B-3500 Hasselt

Under penalty of inadmissibility the appeal shall contain at least the following information:

  • Name, postal address and signature (autograph) of the student filing the appeal or his legal counsel;
  • A description of the decision against which the appeal is directed, possibly together with the relevant documents;
  • A description of the grievances. Article 1.4 Internal appeal procedure

For administrative reasons, the student also needs to confirm the internal appeal via the email address intern.beroep@uhasselt.be. We kindly ask you to attach the letter of appeal, other relevant documents and proof of registered mail as well.

What happens after I have filed an internal appeal?

(article 1.4 Legal position regulations) (article 19.4 EEL 2023-2024)

The Internal Appeals Committee judges on the admissibility of the filed appeal. An admissible appeal means that you have fulfilled all the conditions as stated in article 1.3, sections 2 and 4 Legal position regulations.

  1. If the appeal is inadmissible, the student will receive electronically a motivated decision within 20 calendar days, starting from the day after the appeal was filed.
  2. If the appeal is admissible, the internal appeal committee will decide on the merits of the internal appeal. The committee can hear the student before making a decision. In that case, the chairman of the Internal Appeals Committee convokes the committee. The student will be informed of the hearing by e-mail, at the latest 24 hours before the hearing.

What happens when I receive an invitation to state my case at a hearing of the internal appeal committee?

(article 1.4, section 2 Legal position regulations) (article 19.4 section 2 EEL 2023-2024)

  1. You can go to the hearing alone, or you come with a person of your choice to assist you.
  2. If you cannot be present at the hearing, you can be replaced by a person of your choice. If you are not present at the hearing and are replaced by a representative, that representative must be authorized in writing by you, unless the representative is a legal counsel.
  3. If you have been duly summoned but did not show up for the hearing, the Internal Appeals Committee may validly deliberate in your absence.

What happens at the hearing?

(article 1.4, section 2 Legal position regulations) (article 19.4 section 2 EEL 2023-2024)

The Internal Appeals Committee will hear you. The Committee may also hear any other persons involved.

Being heard means that you can tell your story to the members of the internal appeals committee. The committee then also listens to the story of the lecturer and the examination committee. This is done individually.

What happens after the hearing?

(article 1.4, section 4 Legal position regulations) (article 19.4 section 4 EEL 2023-2024)

The Internal Appeals Committee makes a decision. The internal appeals procedure leads to:

  • a motivated dismissal of the appeal based on the inadmissibility of the appeal or because the appeal is ill-founded.
  • a new study progress decision from the Internal Appeals Committee.

The Internal Appeals Committee communicates its decision to the student via electronic means, mentioning the remedies. It shall do so within 20 calendar days, starting from the day after the appeal was filed.

How long will it take before I know the decision of the internal appeals committee?

(article 1.4, section 4-5 Legal position regulations) (article 19.4 section 5 and 7 EEL 2023-2024)

The appeals committee will inform the decision via the online student file and by e-mail, stating the further possibilities of appeal, within a period of 20 calendar days, starting the day after the appeal was lodged.

In the event that the internal appeals committee is unable to deliver a decision within 20 calendar days, the internal appeals committee will notify you by e-mail when they will decide.

I do not agree with the decision of the internal appeals committee, what now?

(article 1.4, section 5 Legal position regulations) (article 19.4 section 6 EEL 2023-2024)

If you do not agree with the decision of the internal appeals committee, you can file an appeal with the Council for Disputes concerning study progress decisions. Under penalty of inadmissibility, the appeal must be in Dutch, dated and signed by the applicant or his counsel and sent to the Council by registered letter, within an expiry period of seven calendar days which enters into effect the day after the day on which the decision of the internal appeal procedure is notified.

Raad voor betwistingen inzake studievoortgangsbeslissingen
Hendrik Consciencegebouw 2B
Koning Albert II-laan 15
1210 Brussel.

A copy of the possible appeal must, at the same time, be sent by registered letter to:

Céline Jaspers
secretary of Internal Appeals Committee
Universiteit Hasselt
Martelarenlaan 42
B-3500 Hasselt

Specific regulations pertaining to the Law programme