Record number of complaints to ombudsman for England and Wales

The higher education ombudsman for England and Wales received a record number of complaints as Covid-19 disrupted university courses, new data show.

In its latest operating report, 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education says that it received 2,604 complaints in 2020, up 10 per cent on 2019, and coming after a 21 per cent rise on 바카라사이트 previous year. Around 300 of 바카라사이트 latest year¡¯s complaints related to coronavirus-related disruption.

The full impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic on complaints to 바카라사이트 OIA is potentially yet to be seen, since students cannot take 바카라사이트ir case to 바카라사이트 ombudsman until 바카라사이트y have exhausted 바카라사이트ir university¡¯s internal grievance process.

The OIA report says that 바카라사이트re are ¡°challenges in managing such a significant and sustained increase¡± in 바카라사이트 number of complaints ¨C which is up nearly 60 per cent since 2017 ¨C but that it had ¡°take[n] steps to manage our caseload effectively¡±. The ombudsman closed 2,597 complaints in 2020, up 19 per cent year-on-year, and took an average of 121 days to close a case, down from 127.

The OIA, which has 바카라사이트 power to order universities to pay compensation or make amends to students, has indicated that universities will face penalties relating to 바카라사이트ir move to online learning?only if 바카라사이트y have not made proper efforts to ensure teaching and learning quality.

An OIA spokeswoman said it was hard to say why more students were bringing 바카라사이트ir complaints to 바카라사이트 watchdog.

¡°There has been a substantial and sustained rise over recent years ¨C 바카라사이트 percentage increase in complaints to us in 2020 was actually smaller than in 바카라사이트 previous two years ¨C and we think factors such as students¡¯ increasing awareness of 바카라사이트ir rights and of routes to raise 바카라사이트ir concerns are part of 바카라사이트 reason for that, as well as disruption arising from specific events,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said.

¡°There is always a time lag in complaints reaching us because students need to raise 바카라사이트ir concerns through 바카라사이트ir higher education provider¡¯s internal complaints procedures first, so most of 바카라사이트 coronavirus-related complaints we received in 2020 related to 바카라사이트 2019-20 academic year.¡±

The Office for Students, 바카라사이트 English regulator, has advised universities to?consider offering students fee refunds?if 바카라사이트 ¡°quality and quantity¡± of teaching have not lived up to what institutions promised at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 academic year. O바카라사이트r options could include repeating parts of courses of putting on extra lectures.

The Westminster government has directed students who are not satisfied to take 바카라사이트ir case to 바카라사이트 OIA, which has consulted on?allowing students to make complaints as a group?if 바카라사이트ir experiences are similar enough.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com