University complaints rise to pre-pandemic levels - data

Complaints against universities have climbed above pre-pandemic levels, research by the BBC shows. What is it like to be a student in the age of online learning, rising tuition fees and strikes by academics?

One student who complained about what she has experienced is at Brunel University in west London. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the standard of accommodation she was in was "so bad" she moved out because it had a profound effect on her welfare.

She said there was black mould in her flat and one of the lifts was broken for more than a month, but in both cases the university's accommodation service "did nothing".

She added the entrance door to her building was broken, people were "randomly getting in" but "it took [the university] over two months to fix the front door".

Brunel University said: "We would urge any student who is worried about any aspect of their accommodation on or off campus to contact us as soon as they can, so that we can offer them our full support."

The student, who will start her second year in the autumn, said: "I was harassed by one person who was threatening me, and coming into the flat. I reported it to the university and their answer was, 'don't worry, you can call us'," she said.

"I did call them, as people were just randomly getting in, including that person. I complained about this person to the university... and they did nothing."

She continued: "Everybody got their stuff stolen. I remember once getting all my groceries stolen.

"I got a set of knives that were stolen. My flatmate had a special delivery from her family - a special delivery from India - that was stolen too."

The young woman said in the end she decided she couldn't "live like this any more".

"I had to put my mental health first, I can't not sleep all the time. I spoke to my family and they said you need to get out of this situation," she explained.

"I was just exhausted by it all. Burnt out. I couldn't believe the standard of the accommodation I was in. It was horrendous."

Her experience - which was reported to the university but not escalated to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator of Higher Education (OIAHE) - is not an isolated case, as recent research by the BBC reveals complaints against major London universities have climbed above pre-pandemic levels.

The BBC analysed complaints to the OIAHE relating to institutions with 1,500 to 50,000 students, representing some of London's largest universities.

Of the 2,850 complaints received from university students across England and Wales in 2022, almost a quarter - 703 - were from those at universities in the capital, the highest number in the past three years.

Such complaints only come to the OIAHE after students have exhausted their university's internal procedures and remain dissatisfied with the resolution.

Nearly one in three complaints from London students involved an academic appeal, such as reported problems with marking and final degree results, while 44% of the complaints related to "service issues" such as the quality of teaching, supervision, and facilities.

Of 729 complaints closed by London universities in 2022, 9% were considered justified or partly justified. At 37%, Queen Mary had the highest proportion of cases closed with a verdict of justified or partly justified, while University of Law had the fifth-highest rate, at 20%.

The challenges faced by students extend beyond pandemic-induced disruption, with the cost-of-living crisis - which has hit harder in London than in other places - and the chronic shortage of student housing in the capital key issues.

"Universities are cramming more people in but not increasing the numbers of staff; not even knowing if they can provide enough accommodation," says Chloe Field, who is vice president of higher education at the National Union of Students (NUS).

"It's reaching a point where people can't afford it in London, as it's so expensive to live there day to day."

When Elliot Berke, who has just completed his degree at Queen Mary's University of London, reflects on his university experience he says three words come to mind: "Stressful... expensive... and miserable."

"Who'd be a student?" says Elliot, who paid £9,250 a year for tuition.

Elliot's degree in chartered management was first disrupted by the pandemic, with learning moved online. Now that has eased slightly, strikes have regularly hampered his learning.

"I've had lecturers not turning up, and then they've gone on strike, marking has been delayed for months, and it's just been Zoom lectures," he explains.

"Some lectures aren't even real-time, they are just sent out for students to watch, and that's really hard. It's been miserable."

He says it's been "frustrating and hard to get motivated, or to want to even finish the degree, because of how poor the teaching has been".

His complaint was also not escalated to the OIAHE.

Queen Mary University of London said: "We take every complaint we receive very seriously. We cannot comment on individual cases.

"However, of the 10 complaints OIAHE received about Queen Mary in 2022 that they found to be justified or partly justified, none of these concerned quality of teaching or value for money."

Meanwhile, the University of Law said: "The majority of our complaints with the OIAHE in 2022-23 were not upheld.

"There were a number of partly justified complaints which we accept and indeed welcome, as they allow us to improve and enhance our service to our students."

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