Collaborative Provision (FEC & AP)

ONLINE SEMINARS – JULY 2015

Felicity Mitchell – Deputy AdjudicatorHilary Jones – Membership Project Co-ordinator

HOUSEKEEPING FOR ONLINE SEMINARS

Using a laptop or desktop? Please click on the ‘audio box’, select ‘telephone’ and then dial-in by telephone also using the number provided to you

Using a tablet? Don’t forget to ‘unmute’ and then click on the ‘audio box’ and select ‘microphone and speakers’

We have prepared a short presentation BUT will pause regularly to invite questions. If you wish to ask a question, please ‘raise your hand’ through the software

We will update the guidance on our website to reflect any key issues coming out of each group of seminars http://www.oiahe.org.uk/providers-joining-the-scheme-on-1-september-2015.aspx

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WHO ARE WE? WHAT DO WE DO?

• Operator of students’ complaint scheme

• Since 2005• Ombudsman of last

resort• Free to students• Over 10,000 complaints• Almost universal

compliance

• Review complaints about acts or omissions of member providers

• Recommend changes to practice and/or remedies for students

• Promote good practice in handling complaints and academic appeals

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Common areas of complaint

• Academic appeals• Extenuating circumstances• Teaching provision and

facilities• Disciplinary matters• Academic misconduct

(including plagiarism)• Bullying and harassment• Fitness to practise• Discrimination

What we cannot look at

• Admissions• Academic judgment

• Matters subject to legal proceedings

• Student employment

OUR REMIT (1)

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OUR REMIT (2) We will not normally consider complaints that have

not been through the internal procedures at the member provider

We will not normally consider complaints about events that happened before the member provider joined the OIA SchemeWe may do so if the events formed part of a course of

conduct which continued after the provider became a member

We will not consider complaints where we receive the Complaint Form more than 12 months after the conclusion of the provider’s internal procedures

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OUR REVIEW

We review student complaints to see whether they are Justified, Partly Justified or Not Justified

Focus of our review is the provider’s final decision evidenced in the Completion of Procedures (COP) letter

In deciding whether a complaint is Justified we consider the following three key issues:Did the provider properly apply regulations and follow

procedures?Were those procedures reasonable?

Was the provider’s decision reasonable in all the circumstances?

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS (J/PJ DECISION)

To put the student back into the position they were in before whatever they complained about happened.

Types of recommendation include: Provider to rehear academic appeal or reconsider complaint Provider to change its internal procedures Provider to pay financial compensation

Opportunity for parties to comment on practicalities Compliance by provider Student does not have to accept offer made pursuant to

recommendation

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QUESTIONS

ANY QUESTIONS?

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COLLABORATIVE PROVISION

Collaborative provision Joint delivery of a programmeValidation agreementsFranchise arrangementsOther types of collaborative arrangements

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COMPLAINTS ABOUT:

A Member HE Provider where a student is registered

A Member HE Provider which awards/ validates/franchises a course which a student is studying at another provider

A Member HE Provider which is delivering a validated or franchised course

But in each case, only complaints about matters for which the Member HE Provider is responsible

OUR BASIC PRINCIPLES: more than one provider

Student can complain about delivery provider and/or awarding/validating/franchising provider

Student does not have to go through multiple stages of procedures at delivery provider and then awarding provider

If complaint issue is the responsibility of the delivery provider the student can complain directly to OIA

Awarding provider is likely to have overall responsibility for academic quality and standards

Complaints about academic qualityFinal stage of academic appeals procedures 11

PRACTICALITIES

Our starting point: What does the partnership agreement say?Grey areas – only part of complaint relates to academic

standards? We will deal with complaints on a case-by-case basis If complaint relates to more than one provider, we may

treat as separate complaints but link our reviews together

2015/16 will be a transition period – working with providers to develop our understanding and guidance as we receive the first complaints

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QUESTIONS

ANY QUESTIONS?

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