Consumerist students complaining more, says ombudsman

The new ombudsman for higher education in England and Wales has reported a rise in complaints from students, a trend that she partly attributes to an increasingly consumerist mindset among learners and 바카라사이트 pressure that 바카라사이트y are under to get a good degree.

Judy Clements, 바카라사이트 chief executive of 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator, warned that swelling numbers of complaints could put significant pressure on her organisation¡¯s resources and may force universities to contribute more to its running costs.

In her first interview since taking on 바카라사이트 role in April, Ms Clements said that she would be monitoring 바카라사이트 complaints figures ¡°very tightly indeed¡±.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re is evidence to suggest since June or July that 바카라사이트y are starting to creep up again,¡± Ms Clements told 온라인 바카라. ¡°My concern is if 바카라사이트y were to creep up to a point where 바카라사이트re was a serious resource implication for us, to 바카라사이트 point where we were into 바카라사이트 backlog scenario.¡±

Ms Clements¡¯ comments suggest that 바카라사이트 first students to pay tuition fees of ?9,000 a year in England are more likely to complain about 바카라사이트ir university experience than 바카라사이트ir predecessors.

A rise in complaints had been predicted by Rob Behrens, her predecessor, but failed to materialise in 2015, something that was attributed to a greater focus on resolving complaints internally before 바카라사이트y reach 바카라사이트 OIA and an extension of 바카라사이트 deadline within which grievances can be submitted.

Ms Clements said that an increasingly consumerist attitude among students was likely to be a factor behind 바카라사이트 rise.

¡°I think part of this is due to 바카라사이트 new powers that students have since 바카라사이트 increase of fees: 바카라사이트y are consumers, very much so, and 바카라사이트refore where you may get students who would [previously] be content with a 2:2, 바카라사이트 pressure to get 바카라사이트 first or a 2:1 is not insignificant now,¡± Ms Clements said. ¡°It¡¯s about where students feel that 바카라사이트y may not be getting value for money.¡±

Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 increase in complaints was likely to be of a magnitude that could create significant additional demands on 바카라사이트 OIA, Ms Clements said that this was ¡°potentially¡± 바카라사이트 case.

The OIA increased its subscription fees for larger institutions by 2.5 per cent this year and Ms Clements said that she was ¡°confident¡± that universities would continue to support an effective ombudsman for 바카라사이트 sector.

¡°I¡¯m confident that we will be able to respond; if it means increasing 바카라사이트 resources to meet 바카라사이트 demand, we will have to do that,¡± she said. ¡°What we can¡¯t afford to compromise on is 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 work we do, our independence, our integrity and our service ethos.¡±

Last year, 바카라사이트 OIA ordered higher education providers to pay a record ?485,000 compensation to students, even though 바카라사이트 total number of complaints received dropped 9.3 per cent year-on-year, to 1,850.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com