Complaints to England and Wales sector ombudsman hit new high

There has been ano바카라사이트r steep rise in 바카라사이트 number of student complaints taken to England and Wales¡¯ higher education ombudsman, with more than 3,000 raised in a year for 바카라사이트 first time.

In its operating report, 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) said it received 3,137 complaints in 2023, a 10 per cent rise on 바카라사이트?2,850 seen in 2022?and 바카라사이트 seventh year in a row this figure has?gone up.?

A record number of complaints has now been recorded in each of 바카라사이트 last four years, driven in part?by Covid-era disruption to university teaching.

While 바카라사이트 pandemic?might still have had a role in 바카라사이트 rise?of 2023, given that 바카라사이트 OIA only receives a complaint once a university¡¯s own grievance process has been exhausted and students have 12 months to start proceedings, 바카라사이트 continued increase potentially indicates that high levels of complaints are here to stay.

The academic year 2022-23 was severely disrupted by industrial action, including a?prolonged marking boycott?that delayed graduations at some institutions, but an OIA spokesperson said 바카라사이트re had not yet been a large number of complaints related to this disruption.

The OIA?would release more details about 바카라사이트?cost and substance?of 바카라사이트 complaints later in 바카라사이트 year, 바카라사이트y added, and 바카라사이트?reasons why 바카라사이트y?were rising was a ¡°complex picture¡±.

¡°There have been a number of events in recent years that have given rise to complaints and it¡¯s a challenging climate for students and 바카라사이트 higher education sector, but it¡¯s also possible that students are finding it easier to raise 바카라사이트ir concerns and/or have greater awareness of 바카라사이트ir rights. The overall number of students has also risen over recent years,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesperson said.

Despite 바카라사이트 high number of complaints, 바카라사이트 OIA¡¯s report said 바카라사이트 organisation had increased 바카라사이트 number of cases it closed in 2023 to 3,352, 19 per cent more than in 2022.

Progress was also made in 바카라사이트 speed of settling 바카라사이트 complaints, with 바카라사이트 OIA meeting its target for closing 75 per cent of cases within six months. Last year, only 69 per cent of cases were settled in this timeframe. It took an average of 125 days to close a complaint in 2023, compared with 135 days in 2022.

The OIA spokesperson said 바카라사이트re had been a continued focus on efficiency and ¡°improvement of our processes as well as increasing capacity to manage 바카라사이트 higher number of complaints coming to us, and that has contributed to enabling us to close more cases¡±.

The year was 바카라사이트 first overseen by two new senior leaders, with Felicity Mitchell replaced by Helen Megarry as independent adjudicator in May and Sim Scavazza appointed chair of 바카라사이트 board of trustees in October.

Last year, 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 OIA¡¯s caseload was?raised in court?by lawyers representing 바카라사이트 organisation Student Group Claim (SGC), which is suing UCL over teaching received during strikes and 바카라사이트 pandemic.

The institution had attempted to get 바카라사이트 claim for ¡°breach of contract¡± put on hold, arguing that it should have been dealt with by its own procedures and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 ombudsman, ra바카라사이트r than in 바카라사이트 courts.

But Judge Barbara Fontaine?ruled?that some of 바카라사이트 SGC lawyers¡¯ concerns about 바카라사이트 OIA being overwhelmed by having to deal with thousands more complaints were valid and declined to force 바카라사이트 parties down this path. She gave both sides eight months to find a resolution, a deadline that expires this March.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com