The University seeks to consistently deliver an excellent student experience and high-quality service provision within its broader community. We recognise however that situations may occasionally arise where a member of the University community feels that the level of service they have received has not met expectations.
Complaints Handling Procedure
Our Complaints Handling Procedure sets out the process that the University follows where a complaint is received. It reflects the University’s commitment to: dealing effectively with complaints; seeking to resolve issues of dissatisfaction as close to the initial point of contact as possible: and where appropriate, conducting thorough and fair investigations so that robust decisions can be made on the outcomes of complaints.
Universities in Scotland are all required to operate The Scottish Higher Education Model Complaints Handling Procedure published by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). The University of Stirling Complaints Handling Procedure has therefore been developed in line with this.
The procedure involves up to two stages.
Stage One – Frontline Response
Seeks to resolve straightforward complaints swiftly and effectively at the source of the concern or issue.
Stage Two – Investigation
Appropriate where a complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of frontline response, or where frontline response is not possible or appropriate due to the complexity or seriousness of the case.
These two stages represent the full scope of the University’s procedure. Where a complainant remains dissatisfied at the conclusion of the University’s complaints process, a request can be made to the SPSO for an independent review the complaint. The SPSO is the final stage for complaints about universities in Scotland.
