Sierra Leone backs 'wronged' student

The High Commissioner of Sierra Leone has condemned the University of Wales, Swansea, for "mistreatment" of lecturer Ansumana Koroma, who is locked in a six-year dispute with the university over the supervision of his PhD.

Ciril Foray, the high commissioner in London, is to seek a meeting with Swansea vice-chancellor Robin Williams over what he described as "a series of blunders by the university", which has "seriously wronged" Mr Koroma.

Mr Koroma has been relying on charity hand-outs because the university has so far refused to fund his research at another institution despite admitting that it has neither the expertise or equipment for him to continue his studies in Swansea.

Professor Foray's protests have been joined by Archbishop Daniel Browne, of the West African church of salvation, the Campaign for Academic Freedom and Academic Standards, and the student union at the University of Wales, Swansea.

Mr Koroma, a leading mechanical engineer, was accepted by Swansea for a PhD in 1992. Despite his repeated complaints about his supervision, the department failed his PhD thesis in 1996.

His appeal against failure to the University of Wales was upheld on the grounds that inadequate supervision was provided.

Mr Koroma has said, with external corroboration and expert reference, that the university's equipment was inadequate, and that the university should never have accepted him for the PhD.

The university has said it would fund Mr Koroma for work in the same department, with a modified PhD proposal. He claims that the university has given him an ultimatum: accept the programme to complete the PhD at Swansea, or return to Sierra Leone.

A university spokeswoman said she believed Mr Koroma had agreed to a programme of study at the beginning of this year.

Mr Koroma said: "I'm very disillusioned with Swansea. The only solution is for the university to fund my research at another more competent institution."

Archbishop Brown said: "We require the University of Wales to provide a research programme of work consistent with his original research approved by the external examiner, and the funding for his studies."

The high commissioner is seeking a meeting with the vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Wales. He said: "My concern is to make sure Mr Koroma does not go back home without a PhD."

The spokeswoman said the vice-chancellor is happy to meet the high commissioner.