Student Complaints At Universities Rise

Student Complaints At Universities Rise: A Freedom of Information request by the BBC has shown 20,000 students complained to their universities last year alone. {Tweet}

The results were collated from 120 UK universities and presented a 10% increase in complaints and appeals in 2012/13 from 2010/11.

Student Complaints At Universities Rise - VoicED Education Market Research

Student Complaints At Universities Rise

The BBC reached out to 142 institutions in total, with 22 declining to participate, and tallied the number of complaints and appeals each university incurred since 2010.

Universities Minister David Willetts believes students are demanding more since yearly tuition fees increased to up to £9,000. {Tweet}

Anglia Ruskin University boasts the unwanted title of largest number of complaints in one full year with a distressing 992 complaints in 2012/13 alone. A spokesperson, however, insisted the university’s almost 1,000 complaints were not surprising given the institutions 31,000+ population. {Tweet}

The net effect of rising complaints and appeals has also resulted in a hike in compensation paid out to students. Since 2010 this figure has exceeded £2million.

The majority of complaints come from students appealing against grades, with other prominent areas including unhappiness surrounding course content and structure.

Complaints to Rob Behrens, the independent adjudicator for higher education, who steps in when complaints can’t be resolved internally, have also mirrored a similar trend.

Although figures have recently began to plateau, for the past five years complaints have consistently risen year-on-year and reached 2,000 in 2012.

Behrens told the BBC he believes increased tuition fees have changed the way students think, in that they now see themselves more as consumers trying to get the best out of their degree.{Tweet}

Following a report by the Office of Fair Trading, the Competition and Markets Authority have instigated an investigation to discover whether or not universities are in-fact fulfilling their responsibilities under consumer protection legislation.

Carmen Suarez, team leader for the inspection, revealed to the BBC that some evidence had been found from practices that may breach the consumer protection legislation.

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