Office of the Independent Adjudicator

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity which has been designated under the Higher Education Act 2004 to run the higher education student complaints scheme within England and Wales. The OIA's rules outline the complaints that it can and cannot review, these contain new rules from the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The OIA has no regulatory powers over higher education providers, such as universities or colleges, and is unable to punish or fine them. The OIA is routinely subject to criticism by student complainants in online reviews - with many stating that their experiences navigating the ADR has been "frustrating" and "traumatising" and caused them to experience "suicidal ideation". The OIA is a recognised ADR.