If you study at a partner college, you might need to use the College procedures, or the University's procedures; depending on the situation.
Academic appeals
Oxford Brookes University is responsible for examination committees at our partner colleges. If you believe there has been an error with an assessment or decision about your progression, you must use the Oxford Brookes University academic appeals procedure. There is a University form to fill in and you will need to demonstrate certain grounds for an appeal. Please see the information about academic appeals.
Complaints
If you are dissatisfied with an element of your course or a service provided by the college, you must use the college's complaint procedure initially. You should be able to find this on the college website or by speaking to a member of staff. If you have been through all stages of the college complaint procedure, you will get a 'Completion of Procedures' letter.
If you are still not satisfied with the outcome, you may either escalate it to the OIA (Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education) or go through the Oxford Brookes University Complaints Procedure, depending on the nature of your complaint. Complaints regarding services or facilities at the college may be suitable for escalation to the OIA, whereas complaints about the course are more suitable for the Oxford Brookes University Complaints Procedure.
If you are unsure of where to progress your complaint, please contact the Student Investigation and Resolution Team to discuss. Please see below for the OIA and Oxford Brookes University procedures.
Escalation: The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA)
You may be able to apply for a review of the decisions made, to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) providing that the complaint you take to the OIA is eligible under its rules. Should you decide to make a complaint to the OIA, your OIA complaint form must be received by the OIA within 12 months of the date of the completion of procedures letter from the college.
You can download the following from the OIA website:
Escalation: Oxford Brookes University Complaints Procedure
If you wish to use the University's Student Complaints Procedure, you could be eligible to enter at Level 2 of the procedure. If you wish to escalate to Oxford Brookes, you should complete the Complaints and Appeals form, available on the complaints webpage. You will need to explain how your case meets one of the following grounds
- the procedures were not properly followed during the partner college investigation
- the previous outcome was one that no fair and reasonable person could have made, on the basis of the evidence
- there is new, relevant evidence which the student can demonstrate they were unable to provide earlier for reasons beyond their control.
You also need to attach all the documentation from the college complaint as evidence. You cannot use the University complaints procedure if you have not completed the college process, so please make sure that you show the final letter from the college. Alternatively, you may demonstrate that you were not given the option to progress through the complaints procedure.
Conduct
A conduct case may involve academic work or inappropriate behaviour towards other people and/or facilities.
Your college should have their own conduct procedures, so please make yourself familiar with these. You should be able to find them on the college website, or by speaking to a member of staff. If you are concerned about another student breaching regulations or acting inappropriately, please let a member of staff at your college know immediately.
If you are unsure of whether you should use the college or the Oxford Brookes University procedures, or simply want to find out more information, please feel free to contact the Student Investigation and Resolution Team at Oxford Brookes.
Exceptional Circumstances
You should use the College's exceptional circumstances procedures. Their procedures should be advertised on their website, or available from a tutor.