Students take final exams in tent

Students have been offered earplugs to block out noise

University students are sitting their final exams in a large tent next to one of Manchester's busiest roads.

The Manchester Metropolitan University students have been given earplugs to drown out traffic noise in the marquee at the City of Manchester stadium.

Students fear the arrangements are putting their grades in jeopardy.

Professor Huw Morris, dean of MMU's business school, has apologised, saying conditions were "not ideal" and would be taken into account by markers.

Students said they only found out about the arrangements when they arrived at the stadium at Alan Turin Way - home to Manchester City Football Club.

The marquee was erected on the car park after the initial arrangements for an internal conference room fell through.

A 23-year-old business IT student, said undergraduates were left "stunned and disgusted" when they discovered the exam room set up.

This is our last chance to help make a better future for ourselves, we have been dramatically failed by a public body that is meant to aid us MMU student

"I was sat on the far left hand side of the tent. Myself and other students were constantly distracted by the rattling noisy tent, the constant traffic noise and having to listen to people's conversations as they walked past.

"It's disgusting to think that a university with millions of pounds at its disposal as well as countless massive buildings located all over the city has had to resort to this."

The university building usually used for examinations is now home to an "incubation centre" for MMU graduates' small businesses.

Professor Morris said the cost of maintaining the building just for exams was "disproportionately large".

In a letter to students, prof Morris said: "I am very sorry that the arrangements that we have made this year have not been ideal.

"Please accept my apologies for the upset that has been caused to you by these arrangements and please also be assured that we are taking every available step to improve things."

Conditions reviewed

He said arrangements were changed at the last minute by the venue, which left it too late for alternative accommodation.

Complaints including poor heating, noise and the flooring in the marquee were under review, Prof Morris said.

He added: "In order to ensure that you and your colleagues are not adversely effected by these changes we have instructed the boards that will meet to consider marks from your examinations to take full account of the conditions at this venue when reaching their verdicts about unit grades and degree classifications in this year's examinations."

The marquee will continue to be used for the final two weeks of the exam period.

One student, who did not want to be named, said: "For final year students this is our last chance to help make a better future for ourselves, we have been dramatically failed by a public body that is meant to aid us."