University complaints watchdog loses judicial review over academic judgement

A student’s High Court success over the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education points to other cases having been wrongly decided

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator has been found wanting in a High Court judgment which has profound implications for its handling of student complaints.

The Judge heard an amended application for judicial review and quashed a decision by the OIA to reject a student’s complaint as ‘not justified’. The OIA was ordered to re-consider the complaint in the light of the Court’s conclusions on academic judgement.

University of Cambridge “lowest drop-out rate” challenged by new statistics

An investigation by The Cambridge Student reveals that the national figures by which Cambridge University claims to have one of the “lowest drop-out rates” in the country do not include all those students who temporarily discontinue their studies but then do not return.

Rumours, leaks and questions: the battle to explain events at Plymouth University

The university suspends its vice-chancellor and the chair of governors resigns. A journalist’s quest to uncover and report the real story behind a row at the top. Sam Blackledge of the Plymouth Herald reveals all for Unileaks UK.

Staff backlash over University of Bedfordshire vice-chancellor’s travel fares

Staff at the University of Bedfordshire claim they have been left ‘disheartened’ by budget cuts while their boss has spent thousands jetting around the world with his lover, says BedsOnSunday

Integrity of student journalism under threat

Student newspapers and their journalists face censorship and undue pressure from university managers, with stories critical of universities at risk of being compromised or remaining untold. Student media need to be vigilant over protecting their journalism from unwarranted interference.

Are universities fudging employment figures?

An article at the Huffington Post reveals that universities can improve their league table positions by offering internships to recent graduates. Prospective students may be relying on misleading information when choosing a university.

Speculation over treatment of Newcastle University medical student

A first look at the case of the Newcastle medical student who was failed by one mark. It is perhaps easy to dismiss this as a matter of the student not being good enough, but it turns out not to be as simple as that.

Is ‘student engagement’ just a mirage? The case for student activism

Research students Emily Danvers and Jessica Gagnon reveal how student activists may be portrayed as troublemakers. Is student engagement any more than a means to domesticate involvement in the University?

Higher education needs to deliver value for money

A report by the consumer group Which? questions whether Higher Education is delivering value for money for students. The report concludes that the regulatory system is not fit for purpose.

Ample scope for the student consumer to demand better

In a post for The Ivory Tower blog, Unileaks UK runs through a range of issues which are of interest to university students. It is suggested that the integrity of British universities is questionable.

A cause for concern: University of Leeds Institute of Communications Studies

An apparent discrepancy between Leeds University’s description of its undergraduate media and communications courses and the student learning experience is a cause for concern.

Student complaint numbers
Universities compared

An analysis carried out by Unileaks UK with the support of Help Me Investigate… Education looks at student complaint numbers and questions the fairness of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator.