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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Universities need to improve handling of student complaints
August 3, 2006 9:21 AM
Peter Black joins students in protesting at the closure of Swansea's Natural Sciences Library
Universities must provide a higher level of service and improve the way that they handle complaints from students, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson, Peter Black, has said.
Mr. Black was reacting to the report of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, which reveals that they dealt with 350 complaints by students against their colleges in 2005, upholding more than a third. Most centred on academic appeals, assessments and grades. One student won an exam re-sit because staff absences meant seminars had not been held. He also got £300 compensation. The total amount awarded to students during the year exceeded £260,000.
The number of complaints lodged last year was double those received in 2004 - although the OIA came into force only in the April of that year and statistics are accordingly based on eight months' worth of complaints. Nevertheless the rise in complaints has been linked with tuition fees. There are also concerns about how foreign and visiting students were handled by universities.
"I am concerned at the way that complaints have doubled but also at the finding that many universities in England and Wales have inadequate complaints procedures for students," said Mr. Black. "With the advent of tuition fees the standard of service and the level of education that students expect to receive has risen. They are participating in a market economy and they want value for money. Universities must respond to those expectations."
"It is also the case that many colleges are relying on income from overseas students to meet funding gaps and to pay for expansion. Yet the number of such students coming to Wales is not rising as fast as was hoped in the face of growing competition from other countries and the rise of high quality institutions in the students' home country. Whilst universities fail to meet student expectations then they will struggle to compete in this market."
"The existence of an independent appeals body to resolve student complaints is to be welcomed, as is the obvious awareness that students are showing of its existence. The OIA and its work are now forcing Universities to improve the quality of their product and to address student concerns. That is a good thing. If colleges do not meet that challenge then they will lose out in the fight for top quality students and revenue."
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