Ángel, a Mexican PhD student at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), suffered bullying from his supervisor, a fact confirmed by the university’s own investigation. Following QMUL’s advice, he changed his project and supervisor, a process that required a short interruption of studies. However, due to this interruption, his Mexican sponsor, Fundación Politécnico, suspended his scholarship and later cancelled it.

Now, Ángel has been left without financial support in one of the world’s most expensive cities. Despite acting in good faith and following every university instruction, he now faces uncertainty about his student visa and the possible need to leave the UK.

Ángel’s case shows a serious failure of institutional care. A student who was confirmed to have been bullied should not be left to bear the financial and emotional consequences alone. We, Mexican PhD students at Queen Mary and members of the wider university community, believe the university must take responsibility and act to protect his wellbeing and future.

We call on Queen Mary University of London to:

-          Cover Ángel’s tuition and complementary living costs for the remainder of his PhD, recognising that he lost his funding as a direct result of following the university’s own instructions.

-          Conduct and publish a transparent investigation into how this failure of duty of care occurred and commit to clear structural reforms to prevent any future student from facing financial loss or expulsion after reporting bullying or abuse.

No student should lose their future for reporting abuse. Please sign and share this petition to stand with Ángel and to remind Queen Mary University that compassion and justice must come before bureaucracy.