Number of student complaints increases by 25%

Fed up

Print article
Post to Facebook

The number of official complaints made by students against their universities has increased by 25% and complaint lawyers rather than universities are to blame, according to the chief adjudicator for higher education. The rise in complaints made to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for universities has been most acutely seen among disgruntled foreign students and older post-graduates.

"Barristers and solicitor firms who actively seek to represent students who have a complaint have contributed to the rise," said Lady Deech, the chief adjudicator, who blamed a “litigation culture” for the increase.

She told The Guardian: "The rise in the number of complaints is due to many more students challenging their degree and exam results. This is probably because there are so many more graduates emerging onto the job market now that graduating with, say, a lower second, is insufficient for success. They want very good marks in order to stand out."

"Older students might have given up a job and will be more focused on the employment prospects than the life experience that 18- or 19-year-olds get at university."

At present, 6 out of 10 complaints are made by students over the age of 25. Last year, £173,000 compensation was recommended to be given out following 732 complaints. That list is 148 complaints longer than in 2006, when 586 were received.

However, Bill Rammell, the higher education secretary, said: “The six hundred complainants represent less than two hundredths of 1% of the student population.

"And only a quarter of the complaints received were upheld. That's about 150 cases out of almost three and a half million students in the system."

Lady Morgan, the minister for students, said: "We need to hear students' views so that we can help improve the university experience for them and future learners."

Comment on this article

	You need to have an account to post comments.
	Enter your login details below to post, or sign up for an account
User name:
Password:
Comment: