Event Summary

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) received 2,850 student complaints in 2022. This is the highest number of complaints on record and the 6th consecutive year that complaints have risen.*

Join Westminster Insight’s Student Complaints in Higher Education Conference to hear the latest best practice advice for managing complaints and academic appeals in your institution.

Complaints about Covid-19 disruption, ongoing industrial action, student mental health, inclusion, harassment, and sexual misconduct are on the rise – effective communication and transparency are critical. Understand the importance of fair, timely and inclusive complaint handling to maintain and improve confidence in your HEI.

You will learn how to positively engage with students to increase the chance of early resolution. Ensure satisfactory outcomes for students who are submitting a complaint. Build a culture and system in which students feel able to report and escalate cases of sexual harassment or misconduct.

Gain insights on how to handle complex cases including large group complaints on industrial action and COVID-19. Hear the latest OIA updates. Attend workshops covering effective complaint handling procedures, early resolution, escalation and formal complaints and appeals.

*OIA

Key points

  • Latest OIA updates
  • Developing effective foundations of complaint handling
  • Best practice procedures: academic appeals and complaints
  • Spotlighting industrial action and handling group complaints
  • Minimising and dealing with harassment and sexual misconduct complaints
  • Managing complaints about inclusion and mental health
  • Dealing with the increased volume of complaints: meeting demand effectively
  • Engaging with students positively to achieve early resolution