This Procedure should be read alongside the General Provisions Relating to Academic Appeals, Conduct, Academic Offences and Student Complaints.

1. Introduction

1.1 The University is dedicated to the highest international standards of teaching, scholarship and research, and to the advancement of knowledge, in an environment of equality, tolerance and mutual respect for all its staff and students. To help achieve and maintain these standards, the University has in place a range of quality assurance mechanisms, including the following Student Complaints Regulations and Procedure.

1.2 The regulations aim to ensure that student complaints are taken seriously, investigated fully and objectively in a fair, timely and effective manner. Any student invoking these regulations is expected to engage positively with the process and behave in a courteous and professional manner towards all staff and students involved.

1.3 The regulations apply to complaints from any registered student of the University and is restricted to circumstances not already covered by existing regulations or procedures (e.g. academic appeals, admission, fees student conduct or staff anti-bullying and harassment).  The University will also consider complaints from students up to one month after graduation or receipt of their final results / outcome, whichever is sooner, or within one month of their permanent withdrawal from the University.

1.4 The regulations cannot be used to challenge academic judgement or to complain about the outcome of another University procedure.  

1.5 Queen’s students studying at Collaborative Partner institutions are expected to access their local institution’s complaints regulations/procedure in the first instance.

1.6 The regulations can be used for both individual and collective complaints relating to;

1. Services or facilities provided by the University, including teaching and academic facilities and services.
2. An alleged action or inaction by the University.

1.7 All student complaints alleging staff bullying and/or harassment should be raised (and investigated) under the Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy. Queries in relation to this policy should be directed to People and Culture (hrhub@qub.ac.uk).

1.8 Allegations of misconduct by another registered student will be dealt with under the Conduct Regulations.

1.9 Students are not normally permitted to complain about the same issue on more than one occasion (this excludes future complaints regarding failure to implement agreed resolutions), or to use the Student Complaints Regulations for matters which are the subject of legal proceedings.

2. Definitions 

2.1 In this Procedure:

1. A Department or School responding to the complaint shall be referred to as the “Responding Party/Parties”.
2. A student who submits a complaint shall be referred to as the “Student Complainant”.

2.2 Feedback

Feedback is information provided by a student to the University relating to: 

1. A service / facility provided by the University as part of its contract with a student or the student body
2. A process / procedure used by the University which impacts on the student body
3. The performance of a task by a member of staff

which is intended for use as a basis for improvement of the service, facility, process / procedure or performance.  The University welcomes such feedback as an opportunity to improve its service to students and the student experience and will implement any changes deemed necessary.   

2.3 Complaint

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about the standard of service, action or lack of action by the University.  Student complaints will be investigated under these Regulations. 

In order to constitute a complaint under these Regulations, the issue must have impacted personally on the Student Complainant and the outcome / remedy sought by the Student Complainant must relate directly to them. 

3. General Principles

3.1 Anonymous Complaints and Complaints from Third Parties

3.1.1 Anonymous Complaints (including witness statements) will not normally be considered and any person who submits a complaint (or witness statement) must accept that their complaint and any supporting evidence will be provided to both the Responding Party/Parties and the Student Complainant(s). However, if the complaint gives rise to serious concern regarding the wellbeing of other students, staff or visitors to the University, or regarding damage or potential damage to the University’s reputation, the University may carry out an investigation and take any further steps deemed necessary.

3.1.2 Complaints from third parties shall, exceptionally, be considered for investigation but only if the student confirms in writing that the third party is acting on their behalf, that they wish the complaint to be investigated and the member of staff dealing with the complaint accepts that there is good reason for the student not to deal with the complaint on their own behalf.

3.2 Collective/Representative Complaints

3.2.1 The University will accept complaints from one student (the Lead Student) as representative of a group of named students where the issue(s) raised is the same or substantially the same in each case.  Complaints by un-named students will not be accepted.  The Lead Student must provide evidence that they are acting on behalf of, and with the consent of, the other named Student Complainants.  The Head of Academic Affairs (or nominee) must certify that it is appropriate, expedient and fair that the complaint may proceed as a collective/representative complaint. 

3.2.2 If the Head of Academic Affairs (or nominee) certifies that the complaint may be accepted as a collective/representative complaint, then the Appeals, Conduct and Complaints Team will deal with the complaint under these Regulations in the normal way. In the absence of certification by the Head of Academic Affairs, each student may submit a separate complaint. 

3.3 Student Engagement with the Procedure

3.3.1 Students are required to engage with the process which includes attending investigation and committee meetings. Failure to appropriately engage with the procedure may result in the complaint being dismissed.

3.4 Disclosure of Information

3.4.1 Information will only be released to those who need it for the purpose of investigating or responding to a complaint; no third party will be told any more about the investigation than strictly necessary in order to obtain the information required from them. Where a complaint has been made in relation to the service provided by a specific member of staff, that person will normally be provided with a copy of the complaint.

3.4.2 Where issues of a confidential nature come to light as part of an investigation, for example personal information relating to a member of staff, these may not be disclosed to the Student Complainant and/or other members of staff and this may limit how much detail can be given on any proposed action following the outcome of an investigation. 

3.5 Timescales

3.5.1 From receipt of a Stage 2 formal complaint through to the conclusion of a Stage 3 appeal (not including the period a Student Complainant has to submit an appeal), the timeframe should normally take no longer that 90 days.

3.5.2 Additional time may be required for complex cases and/or where key staff are on leave.

3.6 Postponement of Investigation

3.6.1 The University reserves the right to postpone any investigation into a complaint if the Student Complainant behaves inappropriately.  In such cases the Director of Academic Services (or nominee) will postpone the procedures and will advise the Student Complainant accordingly, including the consequences of this decision on the complaint and any conditions which must be met in order to reinstate the complaint. The Student Complainant may also be referred for investigation under the Conduct Regulations, the Guidelines on Support to Continue in Study on the Grounds of Health and/or Safety and/or the Fitness to Practise Regulations (as appropriate).

3.6.2 The University reserves the right to postpone action under this Procedure where it becomes aware of legal proceedings against it in relation to the issues raised in the complaint. In such cases, the Director of Academic Services (or nominee) will postpone the procedure and will advise the student accordingly.

4. Stage 1 - Informal Student Complaints

4.1 Where possible, the University will seek to resolve all student complaints informally (i.e. mediation, offering an apology or resolution).

4.2 Informal student complaints should not require extensive investigation.

4.3 A record of stage 1 complaint outcomes should be recorded at a local level (e.g. School or department).

4.4 Complex informal complaints which require extensive investigation may be investigated as a formal student complaint (see 5).

General Provisions Relating to Academic Appeals, Conduct, Academic Offences, Student Complaints and Fitness to Practise

Anti-bullying and harassment policy

Complaint Resolution Procedure