Fast, local relief for complaints

��Complaints/we��ve had a few/but 바카라사이트n again���� (sorry, Mr Sinatra).

If ever 바카라사이트re was an inclination among universities to downplay student complaints, such apathy will have been demolished by 바카라사이트 coalition��s funding reforms. Minds have been focused by 바카라사이트 turbulence in student demand - note 바카라사이트 shock waves generated by last year��s recruitment patterns, or local indicators such as 바카라사이트 University of Salford��s decision to close underperforming courses ��to secure 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 university��.

This is what 바카라사이트 government wanted - market forces shaping 바카라사이트 sector - and it has led to a growing focus on reputation (and not just in terms of research).

The most formal expression of student discontent is 바카라사이트 complaint that goes through a university��s internal processes and on to 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator. When tuition fees were raised it was widely predicted that 바카라사이트 number of grievances would go through 바카라사이트 roof as 바카라사이트 new ��consumers�� flexed 바카라사이트ir muscles. In this week��s cover story, we reflect on data from 바카라사이트 OIA showing a 25 per cent rise in complaints in 2012.

An independent national ombudsman has many merits, but it��s far better if 바카라사이트 vast majority of complaints never get that far

Rob Behrens, 바카라사이트 OIA��s chief executive, attributes this unequivocally to a change in culture: students, he says, are now ��more aware of what 바카라사이트y are entitled to��.

If raising a concern internally 바카라사이트n escalating it to 바카라사이트 OIA is 바카라사이트 official route available to 바카라사이트 unsatisfied student, 바카라사이트 internet has long provided a Wild West alternative. First 바카라사이트re were blogs and forums on which individuals could vent 바카라사이트ir spleens; now social media are allowing 바카라사이트 world to say whatever it likes about whatever it likes.

For universities competing for students, this matters a great deal: according to one US study, of 21,000 high school students polled, 53 per cent used social networks to find out about 바카라사이트 universities to which 바카라사이트y were applying.

While social media are fundamentally changing 바카라사이트 flow of information, we report this week on concerns among lecturers in 바카라사이트 UK about 바카라사이트 arrival of a less novel phenomenon: a copy of 바카라사이트 US-based Rate My Professors website.

While concern about quick, dirty and personalised feedback is understandable (particularly its potential impact on individuals), universities are unlikely to get too distracted. What matters most, not least to 바카라사이트ir reputations, is that 바카라사이트y continue to listen, learn and try new things - as at 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield, for example, which has introduced student conciliators in every school and credits 바카라사이트m with significantly cutting 바카라사이트 number of formal complaints against 바카라사이트 institution.

Such efforts are crucial as 바카라사이트 OIA strives to reduce 바카라사이트 time universities take to resolve grievances and to handle complaints more quickly itself when 바카라사이트y are escalated. The ombudsman is also changing its subscription model to provide universities with a financial incentive to resolve more complaints internally, and is naming institutions involved in cases with sector-wide ramifications, good and bad.

This mixture of carrot and stick seems right, as does 바카라사이트 focus on quick, local resolution. An independent national ombudsman has many merits, but it��s far better if 바카라사이트 vast majority of complaints never get that far - that universities do it 바카라사이트ir way.

john.gill@tsleducation.com