ENOHE 2013 Oxford Friday, 12 April 2013 Rob

Transcript:ENOHE 2013 Oxford Friday, 12 April 2013 Rob:
ENOHE 2013 Oxford Friday, 12 April 2013 Rob Behrens CEO and Independent Adjudicator Changing Higher Education through better complaints handling – Surviving and Steering Change rob.behrens@oiahe.org.uk 1 Surviving and steering change Introduction The Present State: Navigating Regulatory Change while keeping the ship afloat Mandates and Resources: Must, should, could and can’t Evidence-Based Approach: Looking out to look in Strategic Engagement: Prioritising where we are going and how we get there Afterword 2 A. The Present State 3 Universities and student complaints: the context 4 Number of complaints received by the OIA 5 Number of complaints closed by the OIA 6 What is complained about: 2012 7 Student satisfaction: 2010-2012 National Student Survey results 8 Student satisfaction: complaints handling 2012 9 Length of university process 10 Complainant lived experience of university complaints processes 11 Impact of institution size on complaint numbers Smallest institution Largest institution Trendline Number of complaints 12 Relation between internal complaints and appeals and complaints received by the OIA Institutions which issued least COP Letters Institutions which issued most COP Letters 13 B. MANDATES, RESOURCES AND APPROACH 2004 Higher Education Act establishes - impartial, independent, adjudication for all HEIs in England and Wales after internal process exhausted OIA independence set out in Act and Scheme Rules, confirmed by HE White Paper (2011) and by Court of Appeal (Sandhar 2011). Examines all “acts and omissions” of HEIs beyond admissions, academic judgement and employment issues. Tests are whether HEI has abided by Regulations and/or whether decision is ‘reasonable in all the circumstances. Service free to students and former students OIA is not a Regulator and has no power to: Compel HEIs to implement OIA Decisions or Fine HEIs But has powers to: Publish details of non-compliance Publish summaries of Formal Decisions by name of HEI where there is a ‘public interest’ Publish Annual Letters to HEIs setting out their complaints handling record Share material including Formal Decisions with Regulatory partners with ‘a relevant right or interest’ Headquarters in Reading, Berkshire. FTE of 55, Budget of circa £4 millions p.a. OIA mandates 14 Accountabilities/governance Not for Profit Company Limited by Guarantee Charity Registered with Charities Commission Subject to Judicial Review. Nearly 40 challenges to date, mostly unsuccessful. Constitutional relationship with Secretary of State and Welsh Assembly Minister Independent Adjudicator appointed under Nolan Rules of fair and open competition for limited terms and independent of Board in all Formal Decisions Board has