1. Purpose

This policy sets out the attendance requirements for World Nuclear University programmes. It supports the integrity of WNU learning, protects the cohort experience, and provides a fair process for managing illness, emergencies, repeated lateness, absences and appeals.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all Participants accepted onto a WNU Programme. It applies to all scheduled Programme sessions and required activities, including plenary sessions, working group sessions, mentor sessions, assessments, Technical Visits, required social or networking activities, online components and any other activity designated by WNU as compulsory.

3. Attendance Requirement

Participants are expected to maintain a minimum attendance rate of 95% throughout the Programme to be eligible for graduation and certification.

• All Participants start the Programme with 100% attendance.
• Attendance will normally be measured in one-hour slots, unless WNU confirms another method for a particular Programme.
• Attendance tracking methods may vary by Programme and may include registers, badge scans, mentor confirmation, platform attendance records, or other reasonable methods.
• Optional social activities will not normally be counted towards the attendance requirement unless WNU identifies them as required Programme activities.
• Failure to meet the 95% attendance requirement may make a Participant ineligible to graduate, regardless of whether the absence was avoidable or unavoidable.

4. Lateness and Repeated Short Absences

Repeated lateness, leaving sessions early, frequent absence from the plenary or working group room, or disengagement from required Programme activities may be treated as an attendance issue even where the Participant is not absent for a full day.

• A five-minute tolerance may be applied at the start of sessions, unless WNU confirms otherwise.
• Exceeding the tolerance may result in an Absence Mark.
• Five Absence Marks in three successive Programme days may be treated as one unjustified absence.
• Four or more Absence Marks within one working week may trigger a Behavioural Modification Request.
• Unaddressed or repeated attendance concerns may trigger a Compliance Assessment.

5. Notification of Illness or Emergency Absence

If a Participant is absent due to illness, medical emergency, bereavement or another urgent matter, they must notify the Leadership and Capacity Development Team and their mentor, where applicable, by email as soon as possible. Notification should be sent before the start of the affected session where possible and no later than the end of the relevant Programme day.

Failure to notify WNU may result in the absence being marked as unjustified, except in exceptional circumstances where the Participant is unable to communicate.

6. Evidence of Illness or Emergency

WNU may request reasonable evidence to support an absence, including a medical certificate, doctor's note, travel disruption evidence, official documentation, or other relevant information.

• For programmes lasting one week or less, evidence should be provided within one business day of the absence unless WNU agrees otherwise.
• For programmes lasting more than one week, evidence should be provided within three business days of the absence unless WNU agrees otherwise.
• Failure to provide reasonable evidence, or delayed submission without good reason, may result in the absence being marked as unjustified.

7. Justified and Unjustified Absences

A justified absence is an absence accepted by WNU on the basis of evidence and circumstances. A justified absence will not normally be treated as misconduct. However, justified absence may still affect eligibility to graduate where the Participant cannot meet the required learning outcomes or attendance threshold.

An unjustified absence is an absence that is not supported by reasonable evidence, not notified properly, not accepted by WNU, or caused by avoidable conduct such as lateness, non-participation, failure to attend required sessions, or failure to follow Programme instructions.

8. Behavioural Modification Request

Where attendance, lateness or engagement concerns arise, WNU may initiate a Behavioural Modification Request. This is a formal support and accountability process intended to identify the concern, understand relevant context, agree expected changes, and record actions required.

The process may include discussion with the Participant, the Leadership and Capacity Development Team, and mentors where applicable. A written record may be kept and may be used in any later Compliance Assessment.

9. Compliance Assessment

A Compliance Assessment may be initiated where a Participant has repeated unjustified absences, unresolved Behavioural Modification Requests, serious non-compliance, or attendance issues that may affect graduation eligibility.

The assessment may consider attendance records, evidence provided, actions taken to catch up, impact on the working group, mentor observations, self-reflection, and the Participant's ability to meet Programme outcomes.

10. Appeals

A Participant may appeal an attendance-related decision or request an exception due to extenuating circumstances. Appeals must be submitted by email to the Head of Leadership and Capacity Development, or another designated contact if the Head of Department is unavailable or conflicted.

Appeals should normally be submitted no later than 10:00 local time on the day before the penultimate Programme day.

An appeal should include the dates of absence, reasons, evidence, who was notified and when, actions taken to recover missed learning, and any steps taken to reduce the impact on the wider cohort or working group.

11. Access Needs and Reasonable Accommodation

Participants with disabilities, medical conditions, access needs or other circumstances that may affect attendance or participation should inform the Leadership and Capacity Development Team as early as possible. WNU will consider reasonable accommodation requests in good faith, subject to operational feasibility, venue requirements, host-site requirements, safety and Programme integrity.

12. Consequences of Non-Compliance

Failure to meet attendance requirements may result in a Behavioural Modification Request, Compliance Assessment, ineligibility to graduate, non-award of a certificate, exclusion from Programme activities, or removal from the Programme. Where this occurs because of breach of policy, misconduct, failure to follow reasonable instructions, or failure to meet Programme requirements, no refund will be provided except where WNU decides otherwise at its sole discretion.

13. Review and Modification

This policy is subject to periodic review and may be updated by WNU where required for legal, operational, safeguarding, safety, security, academic or Programme quality reasons. Any material changes affecting current Participants will be communicated promptly.