More students lodging complaints

Lecturers say tuition fees create a "consumer culture" among students

More students are lodging complaints about their universities, an independent watchdog reports.

A total of 465 eligible complaints were made to the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education in 2006 - up 44% on the previous year, the watchdog says.

The complaints - relating to England and Wales - included many about degree results and a successful challenge from a student expelled for plagiarism.

Lecturers say tuition fees have led to a "consumer culture" among students.

In its annual report, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) said most complaints were about academic results, while others were about welfare, human rights issues or disciplinary action against them.

The body investigates complaints and then makes recommendations to the higher education institution to try to remedy the situation.

We remain concerned at the cost of legal proceedings into which we have been drawn, in our belief quite inappropriately Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education

If complaints are upheld, it can also recommend universities offer compensation to students, though it says this is a last resort.

The Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, Baroness Deech, said: "The report shows a significant but not outstanding increase in complaints".

The organisation does not intervene on matters to do with academic judgement, the subject of many initial complaints.

One student expelled for plagiarism had her complaint upheld after she argued the plagiarism amounted to a small part of her thesis and it had been her first offence.

Legal action

The watchdog said the university should have taken into account the extent of the plagiarism and should have had a range of penalties proportionate to the offence.

The annual report also said the OIA was facing legal action from students who had complained unsuccessfully and wanted a judicial review.

"We remain concerned at the cost of legal proceedings into which we have been drawn, in our belief quite inappropriately," the annual report said.

It said the body would defend itself against legal challenges and was keen to clarify its legal position through a court decision.

"The legal issue is whether our decisions are reviewable by the courts. So far no court has questioned the quality of our decision making," the report said.

The shift towards a market in higher education is inevitably bringing about a consumer culture in universities Sally Hunt, UCU

It said that industrial action by lecturers last year had not led to complaints from students, concluding that universities had worked to minimise any impact.

And there had not yet been a surge in complaints as a result of top-up fees introduced last September "but they may yet be in the pipeline", it went on.

The University and College Union (UCU), which represents lecturers, said a rise in student complaints was to be expected after recent changes to higher education funding.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: "The shift towards a market in higher education is inevitably bringing about a consumer culture in universities.

"If students are unhappy with the service being provided they are much more likely to seek redress, even though the majority of complaints are not upheld."

Ambulance-chasing legal outfits touting for business amongst a potentially vulnerable as well as cash-poor student body need to be avoided at all costs Wes Streeting, vice-president of the National Union of Students

Wes Streeting, vice-president of the National Union of Students, said the "dramatic" rise in complaints was due to more students realising they could go to the OIA once they had exhausted the appeal options at their colleges.

But he continued: "It is deeply concerning that universities are obviously not dealing with complaints adequately themselves.

"Students are clearly more vociferous than they used to be and this should be seen as a good thing, as a way of universities better understanding how to drive up quality."

But he added: "Ambulance-chasing legal outfits touting for business amongst a potentially vulnerable as well as cash-poor student body need to be avoided at all costs."

Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, said: "All higher education institutions want to treat their students fairly and our members learn from the complaints upheld by the OIA".