I asked a similar question recently - perhaps someone here can help? I've set a book in a real university. There's a reason it has to be in that particular place - I mean, if I called it by a made-up name, it would be obvious by some of the other things I mention that I'm actually talking about this university. (I hope that makes sense!) So, is this allowed, and do I have to be careful to present the place in a good light? Do the staff all have to be above board and well-behaved?

Luisa,

Kate Atkinson writes about a university - Aberdeen, I think - in her novel Emotionally Weird. At the beginning, she has a disclaimer, which just says that 'The university of Aberdeen, particlarly the depts of English adn Philosophy, bear no relation in real life to their protrayal of it in this novel.'

Well, those aren't the exact words, but it's pretty much that.

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BTW, it's not above board at all - the tutors are screwing the students on top of desks piled with essays on Middlemarch.

That's really interesting - thanks so much.

I think I'll try for a made-up name, but honestly it will be completely obvious which university I'm talking about. (Not one in this country, incidentally.) At least then I can pretend it's not the same place at all.

Sarah, thanks a lot for the Kate Atkinson example - that's good to know. I'll look it up! Some of my dodgy stuff takes place in the philosophy department too. Hmmm.

Luisa