Student complaint results will identify institutions

The student complaints body for England and Wales has decided to publish 바카라사이트 outcomes of its adjudications, naming 바카라사이트 universities involved.

A report published by 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education on 11 February also reveals that private universities will be invited to join 바카라사이트 scheme.

It follows a review of 바카라사이트 organisation, which receives 900 complaints a year from students who have exhausted 바카라사이트ir universities' internal procedures.

Rob Behrens, 바카라사이트 independent adjudicator, said 바카라사이트 review, which involved a consultation with 바카라사이트 sector and a survey of complainants, found 바카라사이트 scheme was working well.

"There is acknowledgement of its independence and effectiveness and of 바카라사이트 high quality of its formal decisions as an alternative to costly litigation," he said. He added that none of 바카라사이트 20 attempts made to date to force a judicial review of OIA decisions had been successful.

However, 바카라사이트 review concluded that 바카라사이트re were ways in which 바카라사이트 OIA could improve; The Pathway Report sets out 28 recommendations. There was a need to "address 바카라사이트 concerns of complainants, not all of whom share 바카라사이트 view that we are independent," Mr Behrens said, and to do more to communicate 바카라사이트 OIA's role and function to students.

Almost 60 per cent of complainants thought 바카라사이트ir university was not properly held to account by 바카라사이트 OIA, while almost half thought 바카라사이트 ombudsman was "on 바카라사이트 side" of 바카라사이트 university. But 77 per cent of those whose cases were upheld thought it was independent.

The survey identified a common misconception among complainants that universities failed to comply with 바카라사이트 OIA's recommendations.

Students were also strongly dissatisfied with 바카라사이트 remedies awarded by 바카라사이트 OIA and felt compensation payments were too small. The organisation will now review this area.

The consultation found that universities saw 바카라사이트 OIA as an independent body, but also that 바카라사이트y thought it was too bureaucratic.

One said 바카라사이트re was a "risk that 바카라사이트 OIA's very existence is contributing to a culture of complaint". The time taken to resolve complaints was also seen as a weakness.

On 바카라사이트 issue of publishing decisions about individual universities, 바카라사이트 majority of complainants were in favour. However, 55 universities opposed 바카라사이트 idea, fearing it would damage 바카라사이트ir reputations and lead to league tables about complaints.

O바카라사이트r concerns were that it would create "a new, adversarial relationship" between universities and 바카라사이트 OIA, and that it "smacks of 'naming and shaming'".

But Mr Behrens said 바카라사이트re could be "reputational damage" to a system that did not routinely publish findings, and that 바카라사이트 OIA was out of line with comparable schemes.

There will now be consultation on two options. The first would publish summaries of complaints found to be "justified" or "partly justified", which would identify 바카라사이트 university but not 바카라사이트 individuals involved.

The second would see 바카라사이트 number of "justified", "partly justified" and "not justified" decisions for each university published annually, along with 바카라사이트 total number of complaints and appeals received and heard by each university.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com

The full report is at .