ANNUAL REPORT 2024 - Sharing learning

Complaints are a valuable source of information about students’ experiences. We engage with providers, student representative bodies (SRBs) and students to explore the wider context of the complaints we see and to share learning from them. 

Casework notes and case summaries

We regularly publish summaries of complaints we have reviewed as examples of the issues we have seen, and the approach different providers have taken. We are careful to ensure that individual students and members of staff are not identifiable. We usually also exclude information that identifies the provider; in publishing real examples of our casework our intention is to illustrate principles that apply in treating students fairly at any provider.

Our case summaries give some indication of the wide variety of different issues students have faced during their studies. In 2024 we published case summaries about student accommodation, work placements, postgraduate issues, service issues including students’ consumer rights, and student transfer.

Our case summaries and accompanying casework notes are one of the most popular sections of our website and during 2024 we introduced a new Learning from our casework section on our website, grouping together guidance and case summaries on particular subjects and student matters, to make it easier to find information about particular topics.

Good Practice Framework

In 2024 we completed the work we began in 2023 to update the Delivering learning opportunities with others section of the Good Practice Framework. We continue to encourage providers to use our Good Practice Framework as a resource when designing student-facing procedures. Students and SRBs also use the guidance in our Good Practice Framework to understand whether their provider is taking a reasonable approach.

In 2025 we will consult on a new section of the Good Practice Framework, about responding to complaints about harassment and sexual misconduct.

Outreach activities

Our outreach activities through the year included workshops, webinars, visits to providers, other discussions with individual providers and SRBs, discussion groups, and contributing to external events. We value the opportunities to listen to a range of different views informed by experiences across the higher education sector. Hearing about student issues that are different to those we see in our complaints helps us to understand where there may be factors preventing students from using formal processes to help resolve their difficulties. We also benefit from providers and SRBs sharing their examples of good practice and innovation. We feed this learning into our casework, and it can help us to identify practical and proportionate outcomes to complaints.

Workshops, webinars and external events

In 2024 we delivered workshops and webinars for staff who handle complaints and appeals within providers, and staff and student officers within SRBs. We covered topics including student placements, complaints handling within partnerships, complaints from disabled students, and the benefits of sharing data between student advice services and student complaints functions. Participants often tell us that they value the opportunity to discuss practice with colleagues in similar roles at different providers as well as hear from us about our approach.

We also participated in a range of events hosted by different organisations including the Academic Registrars’ Council (ARC), Universities UK (UUK), the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the National Union of Students (NUS). These events often give us the opportunity to talk to student-facing staff who are not directly involved with complaints or appeals processes but whose work may be pivotal to student experience.

Discussion groups

We held 30 small discussion groups with students and student advisors, including sessions focusing on the experiences of disabled students, minoritised ethnicity students and apprentices.

Several of the apprentices we spoke to had previously studied at higher education level on more traditional academic programmes. They described the workload as intense in comparison to their earlier experiences but were largely positive about the benefits to them of combining employment and study. Several spoke highly of the level of support they had received and of well-established student representation systems. Others had found their course more difficult, flagging timetabling changes at short notice as a particular source of frustration. Some did not feel that they were getting a “full university experience” because their long working hours meant they were unable to participate in extra-curricular activities.

In general discussions, several students raised concerns about staff redundancies and the knock-on impacts on the availability of supervision and specific academic expertise. Students also reported that sometimes academic staff shared students’ concerns about how courses were being delivered but felt unable to provide resolution to issues at a local level and actively encouraged students to raise complaints about these issues.

Visits

In 2024 we continued to visit providers and SRBs across England and Wales. As well as meeting with complaints and appeals teams, we also met with staff providing support to disabled students and staff working in welfare and mental health support roles. We heard significant concerns about the operation of processes for students to apply for the DSA. This was universally described as being subject to extensive delays which are having significant impacts on students. Providers told us that they are increasingly stepping in to fund interim support measures, and that the process for reclaiming these costs is ineffective. There is a growing disparity between the stringent evidence students are required to produce to obtain funding, and the more flexible approach providers are being directed to take by bodies including the EHRC. Providers are increasingly accepting a range of information from students, including their description of their own lived experience, when deciding what support a student may benefit from. Providers were also frequently concerned that their support services were expected to take on significant levels of support because the NHS is unable to provide some services at the level required. 

With SRBs we discussed continuing financial hardship and how students’ paid employment is affecting their ability to participate fully in student life. We also discussed issues around freedom of speech and student protest. Some providers had experienced significantly more student protest activity than others. Providers based within cities were more likely to be concerned about protesters from outside their academic communities affecting the safety of staff and students.

We are always happy to answer any queries about our Scheme or good practice guidance, and we welcome conversations about emerging issues or anything else it may be useful to discuss. Please get in touch at outreach@oiahe.org.uk.

Advisory Panels

Our two Advisory Panels give us access to expertise and advice on issues related to our casework. Each panel met twice in the year to discuss topics of interest. Our case-handling staff can also refer issues to Panel members outside of meetings for their expert input. The meetings provided valuable insight into sector issues, and we were able to share information about our approach. The Panels do not see or make decisions on individual complaints. 

Higher Education Advisory Panel 

The Higher Education Advisory Panel (HEAP) discussed a wide range of issues including issues affecting international students, mental health and duty of care concerns, requests for additional consideration in academic appeals, complaints related to validated and accredited courses, the challenges with implementing the new OfS registration condition on harassment and sexual misconduct, use of external investigators and how this is perceived, and how pressures on providers and students are impacting on general patterns in complaints.

The Panel reflects the diversity of our Scheme membership and includes student advisers and a balance of administrators and academics from providers.

HEAP members during 2024

• Zoë Allman - Associate Dean (Academic), De Montfort University
• Claire Blanchard - Partnership Team Leader, University of Wales Trinity Saint David
• Dr Mark Hollingsworth - Deputy Chief Operating Officer, City St Georges, University of London
• Charlotte Levy - Assistant Registrar in Examinations, Conferments & Awards, University of West London
• Dr Nathan Morris - Head of Student Complaints and Academic Casework, University of Warwick
• Carmen Neagoe - Head of Educational and Teaching Support, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge
• Melissa Reilly - Head of Student Support at UA92
• Adrian Spence - Head of Advice, Wellbeing and Accommodation Support, Aston Students’ Union, Birmingham
• Cat Turhan - Director of Membership Services, Imperial College Union
• Nicholas Whitehouse - Coordinator, Mixed Economy Group of Colleges

Disability Experts Panel 

Our Disability Experts Panel (DEP) is made up of disability practitioners and experts in disability matters from specialist organisations and higher education providers.

The Panel discussed issues including the impact that the implementation of the new DSA process is having on students, progress with the Disabled Student Commitment roll out to the sector, student mental health and the Equality Act and highlighted concerns that difficult financial situations in some providers may lead to a reduction in resource to support disabled students.

In July, the EHRC published a new guidance note clarifying providers’ responsibilities in the light of the Abrahart/University of Bristol case. It emphasises the need for training of staff in all roles across providers. The Panel flagged the importance of commitment from senior leadership roles to drive change within academic communities.

DEP members during 2024 

• Harriet Cannon - Disability Advisory Team Manager, University of Leeds
• Nicola Frampton - Insight Manager, Student Minds
• Lucy Merritt - Education Policy Manager, Thomas Pocklington Trust
• Laura Nettell - Interim Head of Disability Services, University of Gloucestershire
• Phil Scarffe - Head of Student Welfare, De Montfort University
• Alice Speller - Executive Director, National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP)