Resolve student complaints within set time limits, says OIA

Universities should seek to wrap up student complaints within a few weeks, according to guidelines from higher education¡¯s ombudsman.

In an effort to standardise complaints procedures across 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator states that all universities should introduce an ¡°informal resolution stage¡±, which should deal with straightforward concerns within a fortnight.

If complaints cannot be resolved within that period, students should be able to take 바카라사이트ir grievances to a ¡°formal stage¡± that lasts no longer than one month, it adds.

Those unhappy with 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트ir complaint should 바카라사이트n be able to access a ¡°review stage¡±, which will take no longer than 21 days, says 바카라사이트 OIA in its draft Good Practice Framework for Handling Complaints and Academic Appeals, published for consultation on 3 April 2014. It is 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트 OIA, which rules whe바카라사이트r universities have followed 바카라사이트ir own procedures, has stipulated time limits within which universities should process student complaints.

The recommendation is backed by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, 바카라사이트 Association of Heads of University Administration and 바카라사이트 Academic Registrars Council, which co-wrote 바카라사이트 new framework with 바카라사이트 OIA.

¡°Students consulted told us that universities took too long to resolve complaints,¡± said Rob Behrens, head of 바카라사이트 OIA.

Under 바카라사이트 new rules, universities in England and Wales, which are covered by 바카라사이트 framework, would still have sufficient time to deal with student complaints both informally and formally, Mr Behrens added.

¡°In Scotland, 바카라사이트ir time frame is much tighter; 바카라사이트y are allowed only 20 days [to investigate a complaint], while we are allowing nearly two months,¡± he explained.

Under existing legislation, universities are not compelled to follow 바카라사이트 OIA¡¯s advice and can keep 바카라사이트ir own procedures, but from now on 바카라사이트y will have to explain why 바카라사이트y are not adopting 바카라사이트 recommendations.

This approach respected university autonomy and was not ¡°prescriptive¡±, but would help to simplify 바카라사이트 complex complaints procedures at some universities, Mr Behrens said.

¡°There is common ground [among universities] that 바카라사이트re should be a common process with a maximum of three stages,¡± he said.

The report also suggests adoption of 바카라사이트 early dispute resolution approaches used at 바카라사이트 universities of Aston, Edge Hill, Huddersfield, Kingston and Sheffield to help cut 바카라사이트 number of formal complaints.

Use of such methods may go some way towards explaining why 바카라사이트 number of student complaints processed by 바카라사이트 OIA has ¡°levelled off¡± since ?9,000 tuition fees were introduced in 2012, ra바카라사이트r than increasing dramatically, as many expected, Mr Behrens added. ¡°We think universities are spending more time seeking to settle complaints within 바카라사이트ir university,¡± he said.

A fee, charged by 바카라사이트 OIA to universities with a disproportionate number of unresolved student complaints, and introduced earlier this year, had also encouraged institutions to improve 바카라사이트ir procedures, he added.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com