Student complaints scheme extended

From this term, many more students in England and Wales will have recourse to an independent complaints body when things go wrong.

New rules have extended the role of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA, external) to higher education students in colleges and other settings.

The OIA was set up in 2004 to review complaints from university students.

All students need a "clear, independent and transparent process," said chief executive Rob Behrens.

"No matter where a student chooses to study, he or she needs to be confident that, if things do go wrong, there is a clear, independent and transparent process to raise issues and, if necessary, complain formally.

"The OIA has always argued that all higher education students should have the same right to seek independent redress if issues can't be resolved locally."

The new rules, contained in the Consumer Rights Act 2015, external, which received Royal Assent in February, apply to a far wider range of higher education providers.

These include further education and sixth-form colleges, teaching anything from foundation to postgraduate courses, as well as some school-based teacher training courses.

Students can use the OIA as an ombudsman, external if they are not satisfied with the internal response of their college or university.

Adjudicators review the grounds for the initial complaint and decide whether it is justified, partly justified or not justified.

They also investigate whether the institution followed its own processes and regulations and whether these were fair and reasonable.

They can recommend redress such as work being remarked or a penalty removed. In some cases, they can rule that a student is owed financial compensation.

Since 2004, the free service has reviewed more than 13,000 complaints.

"Part of the OIA's work is to share good practice across organisations so that people can learn from others' experience in preventing and resolving student complaints," said Mr Behrens.

Higher education students in institutions that have only just been included in the scheme will not be able to refer complaints about issues that occurred before this term.

However, continuing complaints will be eligible, for example concerning issues such as bullying that might continue into the new academic year.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of the consumer watchdog Which?, said: "The ability for more students to be able to seek redress if they feel they have been treated unfairly by their provider is welcome news.

"When students are feeling let down by their academic experience, it's crucial they can access support to resolve their complaints, regardless of where they're studying."