I joined the OIA back in 2004, before it was even formally designated as the operator of the student complaints scheme in England and Wales. Much has changed over that period, for us and for the higher education sector. In 2005 the Scheme covered around 150 universities, and we closed just over 200 complaints. In 2022, we covered a little under 900 higher education providers, and closed over 2,800 complaints.
It has been good to see many improvements and developments. Providers’ procedures are, on the whole, fairer, better signposted and easier to follow. Record keeping has got better and learning from complaints is captured more systematically. I’ve been pleased to see how our outreach work and, in particular, the development of our Good Practice Framework, has contributed to improvements in practice over the years. Last year we revised and updated the foundational section, Handling complaints and academic appeals.
Importantly, support for disabled students has come a very long way. Back in 2004, the Disability Discrimination Act didn’t even apply to higher education services. Since then, legislative developments and guidance has changed how providers approach support for disabled students. There is still a long way to go, but we should recognise the improvements that have been achieved so far.
The last few years have thrown up extraordinary challenges. Students and providers have had more to contend with than during the whole of my 19 years at the OIA, and those who are most vulnerable have been most affected. We are seeing increasing levels of distress among students who are struggling to cope, and our Report for 2022 reflects this. At the same time the pressures on providers make it more difficult for them to support students effectively.
The OIA has changed a lot too. Our values have always been at the heart of our work, but what that looks like in practice has evolved over the years. We’ve come a long way in terms of how we relate to higher education providers, to students’ unions and other student representative bodies, and, perhaps most importantly, to students themselves.
Through a sustained period of growth in the number of complaints we have received, we’ve maintained the vital focus on quality and timeliness. We have worked hard to become a more open and accessible organisation, expanding our outreach and engagement and communicating with students in a less formal way. This helps to bring a human touch to our processes for everyone who comes into contact with us. Underlying this change has been a positive move to embrace a kinder approach, including adopting a Commitment to Kindness in 2022, in all aspects of our work. If I had to identify one thing I am most proud of, it would be this.
I have been so fortunate to work with so many dedicated and talented colleagues over the years, and with such a wise and supportive Board led so expertly by Suzi, during my time as Independent Adjudicator. I am immensely grateful to them all. But most of all, I want to thank Ben for being such a joy to work alongside. The OIA is truly lucky to have him and I leave it in good hands with him and Helen at the helm.
