Source: Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education

9.1 Definitions: “Complaint” is the expression of a specific concern about the provision of a course/module, or a program of study, or a related academic service. It defines an 'appeal' as a request for a review of a decision on student progression, assessment and awards.

9.1.1 Complaints and appeals may be made by individuals or, in appropriate circumstances, collectively.

9.1.2 Complaints may be dealt with effectively through informal, as well as formal means, as may appeals, in their earlier stages.

9.1.3 For complaints and appeals to be resolved well, all individuals and/or groups involved - staff and students - need to act reasonably and fairly towards each other, and to treat the processes themselves with respect and not abuse them.

9.1.4 Complaints and appeals may initially be expressed informally. Moreover, there may be times when what is expressed by the person or persons presenting it as a complaint contains within it an appeal and vice versa. Customer Service Officer /Centers will then reclassify complaints and appeals (at whatever stage they may have reached) in consultation with the person complaining or appealing.

9.1.5 Complaints and appeals and their outcomes can have significant consequences for the individuals or groups lodging them and for BIBF and the individuals associated in the complaint. BIBF will ensure that the interests and well-being of all faculty, staff and students associated with a complaint or an appeal are properly safeguarded. At the same time BIBF will recognize that there is a need for sound evidence and procedural fairness.

9.1.6 In both complaints and appeals, however, BIBF aims to ensure that all the parties have the benefit of access to fair procedures so that the complaint or appeal can be considered fairly. BIBF will try to resolve complaints and appeals informally, at an early stage before formal procedures are initiated or completed. Accordingly, BIBF staff will be briefed on.

• 9.1.6.1 Staff will keep notes of any discussions and their outcomes
• 9.1.6.2 Staff will know the limits of their authority to speak on behalf of the institution

9.2 Where no informal resolution can be achieved at the outset, it is important that students who wish to pursue a formal complaint or appeal are encouraged to do so in a timely fashion and are referred to BIBF’s formal procedures.

9.3 BIBF will effectively handle complaints or appeals by responding in a timely manner and bring matters to a conclusion as speedily as possible within a period of two weeks of receiving the complaint. Procedures and correspondences will include indicative timescales for responses. At the same time timescales will have sufficient flexibility that they are able to take account of individual circumstances where necessary. BIBF will set out clearly the responsibilities of person or persons complaining to respect the procedures and to respond to letters and requests for meetings and information in a timely manner.

9.4 BIBF’s appeals and complaints procedures will be approved and overseen by Board for Professional and Academic Qualification (BPAQ) – the guardian of the quality and integrity of BIBF’s programs.

9.5 Who has access to BIBF’s complaints and appeals procedures?

• individuals accepted to study for BIBF or joint awards
• current students, including those studying for BIBF’s award or qualification
• recent graduates (graduated within two months)
• students studying with a partner institution in collaborative arrangements

9.6 It is important to maintain confidentiality when receiving or handling a complaint or an appeal, unless disclosure is necessary to enable the complaint or appeal to be progressed. Where this is the case, person(s) complaining or appealing will be notified before any disclosure is made and to check that they wish to proceed before doing so.

9.7 BIBF complaints and appeals procedures (and any associated guidance) are available publicly to ensure that those who need to know about the procedures have ready access to them. This will be stated in the Code of Practice intranet and will be available publicly. All students commencing studies with BIBF will be made aware of such information. Other occasions, when BIBF's complaints and appeals procedures are routinely provided, include the time when students are notified of the results of their assessments and when announcing their overall results.

9.8 Monitoring of the process

9.8.1 Monitoring BIBF’s complaints and appeals procedures and maintaining records of such monitoring over time will ensure if the process is working. As part of the process of ensuring that its procedures are working satisfactorily for all their students, Complaints, Malpractice, Appeals Review Group (CMARG) reports to BPAQ on, for example:

• the number of complaints made by public, professional, academic, external and special offerings respectively, and by students on full-time and part-time modes of study
• the gender and nationalities of those making complaints and appeals
• the number of complaints and appeals made students from Bahrain and outside Bahrain
• the number of complaints and appeals from students sponsored by organization and self sponsored students

9.8.2 BIBF might expect that having the capacity to identify for itself whether a particular category of students is making a higher number of complaints or appeals than anticipated from their numbers will provide the information needed to decide whether, and how BIBF will respond to such circumstances and, incidentally, to safeguard its reputation. The identification of consistent themes among complaints and appeals - or a disproportionate number of complaints and appeals from one Center or department of BIBF - might, for example, point to positive improvements which could be made to the student experience.

9.8.3 BIBF may find monitoring and evaluating the number and character of formal complaints and appeals relatively straightforward. Extending such monitoring and evaluation to complaints and appeals dealt with through informal means and by mediation will be more difficult but may be worthwhile, not least to enable BIBF to be confident that the existence of such informal procedures is properly acknowledged and to provide an estimate of their effectiveness. Extending monitoring and evaluation in this way should also enable BIBF to be confident that the informal resolution of complaints and appeals is not masking areas of work about which students are dissatisfied.

9.8.4 Semiannual summary reports on the evaluation and outcomes of appeals and complaints processes, both formal and informal, will be considered by BPAQ via submission by CMARG and will be used to inform subsequent practice and institutional responses. By this means, complaints and appeals can make a positive contribution to BIBF's quality assurance and enhancement frameworks.

9.8.5 BIBF is increasingly aware that complaints and appeals can be stressful for faculty and staff, particularly those who may be the subject of a complaint and for those implementing the procedures, as well as for students. In addition to considering what support and advice they may need to provide for those making a complaint or an appeal, BIBF will consider how to safeguard interests of faculty and staff, including those handling complaints and appeals.

9.9 General principles of complaints handling at BIBF

9.9.1 BIBF will have fair, effective and timely procedures for handling students' complaints and academic appeals, within two weeks of receiving formal and informal complaints.

9.9.2 BIBF's complaints and appeals procedures are approved and overseen at the highest level that is by BPAQ in their semi-annual meetings.

9.9.3 BIBF will ensure that those studying at all levels have the opportunity to raise matters of concern without risk of disadvantage.

9.10 Information

9.10.1 BIBF has made publicly available easily comprehensible information on its complaints and appeals procedures in the BIBF intranet through this document.

9.11 Internal procedures: design and conduct

9.11.1 Clear designs of BIBF’s complaints and appeals procedures will enable them to be conducted in a timely, fair and reasonable manner within a period of two weeks of receipt of the complaint. The flowchart will be available on the intranet for everyone’s knowledge.

9.11.2 BIBF will ensure that appropriate action is taken following a complaint or an appeal by CMARG (Complaints, Malpractice, Appeals, Review Group) or the Director as the case may be.

9.12 Access to support and advice

9.12.1 BIBF will make sure that appropriate guidance and support are available for persons making a complaint or an appeal, including those taking advantage of learning opportunities provided away from institutions e.g. special offerings.

9.12.2 BIBF will make provision in its procedures for those making a complaint or an appeal to be accompanied at any stage, including formal hearings at the Director’s approval.

9.13 Monitoring, review and enhancement of complaints procedures

9.13.1 BIBF will have effective arrangements to monitor, evaluate and improve the effectiveness of its complaints and appeals procedures and will reflect on its outcomes for enhancement purposes. All cases—formal or informal complaints and appeals will be reported to CMARG and this will then be reported to BPAQ for these purposes.

9.13.2 BIBF will ensure that suitable briefing and support is provided for all staff and students involved in handling or supporting complaints and appeals.

9.14 Categorization of Possible Cases of Malpractice

9.14.1 Policy Guidelines
These guidelines apply to all taught programs offered by the BIBF
These guidelines may be varied in the case of programs which form part of a dual or joint award delivered collaboratively with a partner institution.
For dual/joint awards, involvement of the partner organization may be sought at any point during investigation of an alleged case of malpractice.

9.14.1.1 Malpractice is defined as: “any act where a student engages in unfair practices to gain an advantage over other students; or to allow other students to gain an advantage on BIBF programs; or to cause direct or indirect disruption to the studies and/or assessment of other students following BIBF programs.”

9.14.1.2 Instances of malpractice may occur in the following ways:

• as a result of fraudulent claims for entry and/or credit;
• as a result of fraudulent claims for extenuating circumstances
• Within a formal supervised examination
• through plagiarism
• through collusion
• through fraudulent production or falsification of data
• through students attempting to make direct contact with any examiner

9.14.1.3 Examples drawn from assessment activities where malpractice may occur include assessment / assignment / collaborative projects.

9.14.1.4 BIBF ensures that students have access to its rules and regulations regarding malpractice, and that they are provided with appropriate guidance to enable them to avoid committing malpractice from the respective faculty and/or Program Coordinator and /or Head of Center.

9.14.1.5 It is the students’ responsibility to ensure that they understand the rules regarding malpractice and seek advice and guidance as needed from respective faculty and/or Program Coordinator and/or He ad of Center to ensure that they avoid committing malpractice.

9.14.2 Malpractice within a Formal Supervised Examination

9.14.2.1Malpractice within a formal supervised examination can take a number of forms including, but not limited to, the following examples:

9.14.2.2 copying from the work of another student or communication with another student

9.14.2.3 introduction into the examination of any books, notes, electronically stored information or other unauthorized material or equipment other than that permitted by the appropriate regulations

9.14.2.4 unauthorized removal of examination materials from the examination venue

9.14.2.5 impersonating a fellow student or arranging/allowing impersonation of staff

9.14.3 Malpractice as Plagiarism

9.14.3.1 Plagiarism is defined as:
“The passing off of work (either completely or in part and whether intentionally or unintentionally) of another person as one’s own.”

9.14.3.2 The reproduction of another’s work can take many forms including, but not limited to, the following:

• written work (formal or informal)
• thoughts (e.g. notes, correspondence)
• conversations (e.g. radio programs, phone discussions)
• electronic communications (e.g. e-mails, web pages, faxes)
• graphics (e.g. diagrams, tables, exhibits, models)
• purchase or acquisition of work from internet sites which is then submitted as a student’s own

9.14.4 Malpractice as Collusion

9.14.4.1 Collusion is a type of plagiarism, whereby students co-operate with each other inappropriately in an attempt to gain an unfair
advantage, i.e. inappropriate co-operation between students on the
work submitted for assessment in cases where this is required to be a
student’s own work.

9.15 Guidelines for Reporting and Dealing with Suspected Malpractice in a Formal Supervised Examination

9.15.1 When a student is suspected of malpractice in a formal, supervised examination, the invigilator shall inform BIBF by means of a formal, written report submitted to the Customer Service Officer. CSO keeps a record of the malpractice, appeals, and complaints by the student/faculty/staff name, nature of the issue and resolves the case with Center Head and or raises it to CMARG.

9.15.2 Suspected cases of malpractice within an examination will be referred to the CSO in the first instance, who will decide if there is a case to answer.

9.15.3 If it is decided that there is a case to answer, the CSO in discussion with respective centers, will contact the student outlining the issue and asking for a written response by a given date.

9.15.4 Report from the CSO and/Center along with the written response from the student are then considered by the CMARG, which takes into account all the evidence before making a judgment on the case. In case of need for a hearing, student, Center representative and a friend/witness of the student can be co-opted.

9.15.5 If the judgment of the case is that malpractice has occurred, then a range of measures may be taken by the CMARG which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 9.15.5.1 Awarding a mark of zero in the assessment component in which malpractice has been deemed to have occurred
• 9.15.5.2 Awarding a minimum pass mark for the assessment component in which malpractice has been deemed to have occurred
• 9.15.5.3 Awarding a mark of zero for all the examinations/assessments for the examination period concerned.
• 9.15.5.4 Requiring the student to re-submit or re-sit the examination component
• 9.15.5.5 Recommending to the Director of BIBF, the exclusion of the student from the program of study for a certain period of time
• 9.15.5.6 Recommending to the Director /BPAQ the withdrawal of any
  relevant award(s) made to the student

9.16 Guidelines for Reporting and Dealing with Suspected Malpractice – Plagiarism

9.16.1 evidence of suspected plagiarism may arise from a variety of sources, e.g. examiner, faculty

9.16.2 The identifier of the potential plagiarism should submit a formal report outlining his/her concerns to the CSO who will then take necessary actions

9.16.2 Suspected cases of plagiarism will be referred to the CSO in the first instance, who will decide if there is a case to answer

9.16.2 Where plagiarism is suspected, the work may be submitted to plagiarism detection technology, when available in BIBF, to aid any investigation

9.16.2 Any cases of plagiarism to answer are subject to the same process as malpractice in a formal, supervised examination

9.16.3 Any cases of proven plagiarism are subject to the same range of penalties as laid out above

9.16.4 Detailed procedures relating to malpractice are contained within the appropriate program regulations

9.17 Guidelines for Reporting and Dealing with Suspected Malpractice – Collusion

9.17.1 Evidence of suspected collusion may arise from a variety of sources, e.g. examiner, faculty or from plagiarism detection software, when available.

9.17.2 The identifier of the potential collusion should submit a formal report outlining his/her concerns to the CSO who will then take necessary actions.

9.17.3 Suspected cases of collusion will be referred to the CSO in the first instance, who will decide if there is a case to answer.

9.17.4 Any cases of collusion to answer are subject to the same process as malpractice in a formal, supervised examination, but will involve all students suspected of involvement in the collusion.

9.17.5 Any cases of proven collusion are subject to the same range of penalties as laid out above.

9.17.6 Detailed procedures relating to malpractice are contained within the appropriate program regulations.

9.18 Appeals

9.18.1 Appeals against malpractice decisions will be considered under the same process.

9.19 Monitoring

9.19.1 The outcomes of malpractice cases are monitored and reviewed by the BPAQ via CMARG reports to ensure that procedures are fair and effective.

Note: Complaints, Malpractice and Appeals Review Group (CMARG) will operate on the basis of Terms and Reference as identified.

Customer Service
Complaints Handling, Malpractice, Appeals

Process flow