In this section we talk about some of the work we did in 2022 to continually improve what we do.
Our commitment to kindness
In 2022 we adopted a Commitment to Kindness, which identifies six key behaviours and practices that can help us to embed kindness across our organisation. We have been working towards a kinder approach for some time, but this public commitment to what we are doing was important because it reaffirmed the value we place on kindness. We hope that this commitment will help to further reassure students that we will listen to them and consider their concerns, even if we can’t always give them the outcome they would like.
Our approach to our case-handling process
We aim to make our complaints-handling process easy for students to understand and access, to support students through our process, and to review complaints in a way that is proportionate and appropriate for the individual student and their complaint. This flexible, tailored approach to our reviews is supported by robust quality control processes overseen by our Casework Quality Group.
It can be stressful for a student to bring a complaint to us, and our decisions can be upsetting for those who don’t get the outcome they were hoping for. We continued to explore how we can communicate most effectively with students so that they understand our processes and likely approach. We looked at how we could better support students through our process, particularly those students who may be vulnerable.
A student brought a complaint to us about a number of very sensitive issues that had significantly impacted their health and wellbeing. We arranged for the student’s case to be handled throughout our review process by a single member of our case-handling team. The case-handler provided the student with regular updates about the progress of our review and agreed to call them before sending any new information about their case to them. At the end of our process the case-handler also called the student to tell them that the decision was about to be issued and to talk them through it.
Students’ experience of our service
In 2022 we continued to invite feedback from the students who use our service. This feedback, together with insights from students who participated in our student discussion groups and from our day-to-day interactions with students, is very valuable and informs how we develop what we do.
Some students are very satisfied with our service. A high proportion of those who respond to our surveys say that we have treated them with respect and politeness. Others express concerns, most commonly around communication including understanding our processes and decisions, the extent and nature of our remit, timeliness and perception of a lack of impartiality.
Students who are unhappy with their experience can make a complaint about our service. In 2022, we received 57 service complaints, compared to 54 in 2021.
Some of the complaints we received raised issues about the merits of the student’s complaint about their provider, but we can’t consider those issues under our service complaints procedure. Where the concerns were about our service, the issues raised were generally similar to the concerns expressed in the wider student feedback.
The complaints we receive about our service, as well as being an opportunity to put things right if they have gone wrong, can also help us to deepen our understanding of how students might experience our process and how we can further improve our service. Complaints about our service are considered separately from casework, and learning is then fed back in. For example, it has contributed to our work around how we communicate and how we support students through our process, and has helped to identify topics for learning and development sessions.
“Thank you for allowing me to speak with you openly. I felt really comfortable talking to you and discussing this matter… Thank you again for taking the time to speak with me. I really appreciate your help and support.”
Advisory Panels
Our two Advisory Panels 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 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 the impact of cost of living pressures on students and steps providers are taking to help, the impact of industrial action on students (both action in the higher education sector and wider disruption such as rail strikes), sexual misconduct, and ongoing challenges around mental health and disability. The Panel also discussed the rise some providers are seeing in academic misconduct cases and more generally in complaints and appeals, and the associated increase in pressures on staff in complaints and appeals teams and student support services.
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 2022
- Sarah Wilmer, Chair (to 31 October 2022)
- Zoë Allman, Associate Dean (Academic), De Montfort University
- Claire Blanchard, Partnership Lead, University of Wales Trinity Saint David
- Dr Mark Hollingsworth, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, City, University of London
- Charlotte Levy, Registrar, Royal Academy of Dance
- Dr Nathan Morris, Head of Student Complaints and Academic Casework Team & Senior Assistant Registrar, University of Warwick (from 1 November 2022)
- Carmen Neagoe, Head of Educational and Teaching Support, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge
- Melissa Reilly, Sexual Violence & Harassment Response Manager, The University of Manchester
- Adrian Spence, Advice & Support Manager, Aston Students’ Union, Birmingham (from 1 November 2022)
- Cat Turhan, Representation and Advice Manager, Imperial College Union
- Nicholas Whitehouse, Coordinator, Mixed Economy Group
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 challenges faced by disabled students in accessing support and pressure on support and advice services at providers, support for disabled students from disadvantaged areas or low-income families or with experience of care, belonging and inclusion, academic integrity issues, and the difficulties that blended learning approaches can cause for some disabled students. The Panel also talked about possible barriers to complaints from disabled students and how these might be addressed.
DEP members during 2022
- Harriet Cannon, Disability Advisory Team Manager, University of Leeds
- Antony Chuter, Chair, Pain UK
- Martin McLean, Education and Training Policy Advisor (Post-14), National Deaf Children’s Society
- John Milligan, Team Leader, Visually Impaired Children, Young People & Families, Virtual School Sensory Support
- Levi Pay, Director and Principal Consultant, Plinth House
- Lynn Wilson, Operations Manager, National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP)
Our IT infrastructure
Like many organisations, we are reliant on our IT systems to enable us to do our work effectively. In 2022 we invested in upgrading the IT infrastructure through which we manage our casework and some other core functions, to improve functionality and integration and offer a better experience for providers and students using our MyOIA portal, as well as to strengthen security. We launched the new system in early 2023 and feedback has been largely positive.
“Working alongside colleagues from across the OIA to deliver a replacement for our case-management system was, for most of us, a unique experience. The understanding gained of the intricacies of our processes, and of the wider organisational needs, will help enable us to further develop the system to best meet the future needs of both students and our member providers.”
Tim, Casework Support Manager
