The National Student Ombudsman (NSO) has officially launched, providing a free, independent and impartial complaints service for higher education students to address unresolved issues with their higher education providers.
More than 1.6 million higher education students across the country are now able to access the complaints function to escalate disputes which were not satisfactorily resolved by their provider. As a statutory authority, the National Student Ombudsman has royal commission-style investigative powers across a broad remit of issues including student safety and welfare, racism, course administration and the effectiveness of student complaints processes.
National Student Ombudsman, Iain Anderson said, “This is a significant day for all Australian higher education students.
The National Student Ombudsman was created to ensure student complaints are heard. We are independent from education providers and Ministers and we consider complaints impartially.”
The NSO adopts a student-centred approach to complaint handling, prioritising student safety, privacy, and wellbeing and offers multiple channels for lodging a complaint, including anonymous reporting options. Students can visit www.nso.gov.au to learn more or lodge a complaint.