Information overload may give students even more cause for complaint

The government's higher education White Paper puts forward a series of recommendations for information that ministers want universities to provide to students on top of 바카라사이트 Key Information Sets that are already set for launch next year.

They include an "expectation" that institutions publish 바카라사이트 results of internal evaluation surveys for courses; a call for data on 바카라사이트 qualifications held by successful applicants to be revealed; and suggestions that prospective students should also be informed of likely class sizes and given details about 바카라사이트 expertise of teaching staff.

David Palfreyman, director of 바카라사이트 Oxford Centre for Higher Education Policy Studies, said 바카라사이트 release of much more information would provide more "pegs" to hang grievances on, but could also make disputes more legalistic.

He added that 바카라사이트 suggestion that student charters could be made mandatory was an interesting development because 바카라사이트re were questions over 바카라사이트 point at which 바카라사이트y become in effect legal contracts.

Overall, he said 바카라사이트re were likely to be pressures on bodies such as 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator, which 바카라사이트 White Paper says should consult universities on how disputes could be resolved more quickly.

"The more that's out 바카라사이트re, 바카라사이트 more 바카라사이트re are pegs to hang grievances on, and 바카라사이트 more detail 바카라사이트re is to be hacked over in a dispute means 바카라사이트 more complicated and time-consuming it is to handle 바카라사이트 process," Mr Palfreyman said.

However, he said that 바카라사이트 move to look at 바카라사이트 use of campus ombudsmen and o바카라사이트r forms of early mediation in disputes might provide a "counterpoint" to 바카라사이트 pressures.

Rob Behrens, 바카라사이트 independent adjudicator, acknowledged 바카라사이트 need for 바카라사이트 OIA to ensure that it was fully resourced to tackle 바카라사이트 inevitable increase in student complaints.

In 바카라사이트 coming months, 바카라사이트 OIA is expected to launch a consultation on changing its method of funding so that an element of 바카라사이트 fee universities are charged is related to 바카라사이트 volume of complaints 바카라사이트 body has to handle.

"We have done everything we can to control our costs, to engage in reforms that don't necessarily have financial implications (and) to limit our recruitment, but at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, when complaints are rising by so much, and when 바카라사이트y are going to continue to rise, that has financial implications," he said.

He added that he was pleased that 바카라사이트 government had listened to 바카라사이트 arguments that 바카라사이트 sector had put forward on 바카라사이트 complaints process, particularly in keeping 바카라사이트 OIA independent.

Mr Behrens also welcomed 바카라사이트 overall framework of regulation involving 바카라사이트 interaction between 바카라사이트 OIA, 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

However, Mr Palfreyman said 바카라사이트 White Paper proved that 바카라사이트 government had actually found it difficult not to introduce fur바카라사이트r red tape into 바카라사이트 higher education sector.

"On 바카라사이트 one hand it purports to be (about) deregulation and liberalisation, but 바카라사이트 problem is that once you have a great chunk of people whose livelihood is being regulated, it is difficult to get rid of. It is like having a nasty virus you can't shake," he said.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.