Objectives of Complaint Management

Many German universities have now established a central contact point for students which specifically deals with student criticism in relation to various matters, in order to improve academic quality and ensure or restore student satisfaction. On the one hand, the need to remain competitive (given increasing national and international comparisons in research, teaching and learning) makes it essential to draw on information from students about different areas of the organisation as an indicator of quality and potential for improvement, and, in view of academics’ increasing willingness to move, it is also advisable to know how we stand in comparison to other universities.

By establishing the position of the Representative for Academic Quality/Ombudsperson as a central contact for student criticism, complaints and ideas, and setting up Teaching and Learning Complaint Management (“central office”) the University of Göttingen has taken the lead in this field.

A Complaint Management service offers many opportunities to gather and bundle information. Incorporating the experiences and knowledge of different stakeholders is essential to checking and improving quality. Good experience with the University (in relation to internal Complaint Management) also has a positive effect and can show it to be a “fair partner”.