Student complaints rise, but fewer are justified

The student complaints body is now handling more than 1,000 cases a year, 바카라사이트 organisation revealed today.

Complaints received by 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator �C which takes on complaints only once a student has exhausted 바카라사이트ir university��s internal procedures �C were up 12 per cent in 2009.

Rob Behrens, 바카라사이트 independent adjudicator and chief executive of 바카라사이트 OIA, said: ��The number of complaints received continues to rise year on year.

��Given that 바카라사이트 student experience and 바카라사이트 level of student fees remain vital issues, 바카라사이트 number of complaints received is very likely to continue to grow.��

However, Mr Behrens pointed out that despite 바카라사이트 increase, 바카라사이트 number was equal to just 0.05 per cent of higher education enrolments in England and Wales last year.

Out of 바카라사이트 1,007 complaints received, 811 were found to be eligible for review under OIA rules. The proportion of complaints found to be justified was small �C 5 per cent �C and lower than 바카라사이트 previous year (7 per cent).

Thirteen per cent were found to be partly justified, and 75 per cent not justified.

Mr Behrens said this suggested an improvement in case handling by universities, but warned that 바카라사이트re was no room for complacency.

He identified several areas where universities needed to improve.

A recent OIA study found that a large majority of complainants were not convinced that 바카라사이트ir university had dealt with 바카라사이트ir case within a reasonable timeframe, taken 바카라사이트ir complaint seriously or given 바카라사이트m a fair hearing.

��There is more work to be done by universities here. Students�� unions are often left out of 바카라사이트 loop in debriefing OIA decisions and 바카라사이트re needs to be a more inclusive approach,�� Mr Behrens said.

In addition, when complaints were found to be justified or partly justified, this was often 바카라사이트 result of a university��s failure to follow its own procedures, he said.

Universities also need to be more ��joined-up�� when working with external bodies, Mr Behrens suggested, and 바카라사이트re were also instances of universities taking too long to comply with 바카라사이트 OIA��s decisions.

The OIA��s annual report reveals that 바카라사이트 highest-ever compensation �C a total of ?45,000 �C was awarded to a complainant, a PhD candidate, in 2009.

It followed a battle between 바카라사이트 student and her university during which she spent more than ?30,000 on legal representation.

��The level of formality inherent in 바카라사이트 procedures which 바카라사이트 university chose to operate �� which included ��court�� hearings conducted by senior lawyers, encouraged students to seek legal representation,�� 바카라사이트 report says.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com