University students made a record number of complaints last year to the higher education watchdog in England and Wales, which expressed concern about “increasing levels of distress among students who are struggling to cope”.
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) received 2,850 complaints in 2022 – its highest ever number and a 3% increase on the previous year – which resulted in financial compensation of more than £1m in total.
The OIA hears appeals from students only if they have exhausted their institution’s internal procedures and are still dissatisfied. According to its annual report for 2022, 25% of complaints were justified, partly justified, or settled in favour of the student.
The watchdog reported a big jump in the proportion of complaints about academic appeals of assessments and grades, up from 29% in 2021 to 38% in 2022, while complaints about teaching, course delivery and supervision fell from 45% to 38%.
“This rebalancing of our caseload is likely to reflect the end of the ‘no detriment’ or safety-net policies that had been in place during the pandemic and had resulted in fewer appeals, as well as the reduction through the year in the number of complaints related to Covid-19 disruption,” the OIA said.
