Since its creation two years ago there has been a steady stream of discussion in the student movement about the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) for Higher Education.

Delighted with its creation two years ago NUS and students’ unions hoped that the OIA would signal a new dawn in the extension of student’s rights. In reality it is fair to say that at times the OIA has been more controversial than any of us would have thought.

In November 2005 the first OIA Independent Adjudicator, Baroness Ruth Deech said in the House of Lords: “It is taken as axiomatic that higher education has to do with higher earning power in a lifetime. I beg to differ. I am unhappy that students see themselves as consumers with rights and contracts.”

There were many in the student movement who were offended and aggreived by these comments. Whilst I can understand the sentiment, I think there has been a general misunderstanding of the relationship that students have always had with their institution, even before the days in which a ‘market in education’ has been under such intense discussion.

Students have always had rights around quality and standards in education, many that we at NUS have championed. Throughout history we have seen students been treated as co-creators of their own education. From the day of the first Rector in a Scottish Institutions students have had rights around their education. Today those rights are expressed differently, and since the introduction of payment, it is not surprising that students now see themselves as consumers with rights and contracts. And whilst I may not be happy with it, this is the world in which we live, and that is why it is right that students have somewhere to go, external to their institution, if they don’t feel that their complaints have been dealt with appropriately.

So, now two years on, it seems appropriate that we look at the impact of the OIA. There is a definite need to engage the views of those whose role it is to help students through various complaints procedures. I hope that people see this as a constructive opportunity to evaluate this system that is in its relative infancy, and move forward to ensure students rights are secured into the future.

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