University Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs
During your studies, you may be confronted with situations you cannot resolve on your own. In such instances, the representatives of the complaints office will support in cases of complaints about:
- Courses and degree programmes
- Organisation of study and examinations
- Teaching staff
- Cross-faculty issues for which no solutions have been found yet despite efforts in this connection
- Issues not addressed by the counselling service centres
There is no specific criterion for how serious a problem must be to warrant the involvement of the representatives of the University Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs. If you are unsure whether your problem should be addressed by the Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs, you can always have an initial discussion with its two representatives:
You can contact the University Complaints Office at the following e-mail address: |
How can I deal with conflicts and complaints?
We have the following recommendations for the target-oriented handling of conflicts and complaints:
- Think carefully about the problem you wish to resolve.
- Formulate what goal or personal interest you are pursuing in the course of the problem-solving process.
- If possible, try to initially have a direct person-to-person conversation with those concerned or with the listed counselling service centres/relevant points of contact.
- Ensure to always compile relevant documentation, e.g. e-mails, notifications and similar documents.
- Avoid making complaints impulsively and based on emotion. Instead, reflect on the situation and circumstances before lodging your complaint.
- Contribute your own ideas for solutions that seem sensible and feasible to you but do not exceed the decision-making authority and expertise of the person processing the complaint.
- Respectful and appreciative treatment of all parties involved in the conflict often forms the basis for a swift and satisfactory solution.
What can the Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs accomplish?
The Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs has two representatives who are affiliated with the University Strategic Development Office at the university and work in the area of quality development for the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.
The representatives of the Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs mainly serve as advisors, moderators and mediators. Whilst they have no authority to issue instructions, they can draw on an extensive network within the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and, as neutral mediators, contribute to the parties involved reaching an amicable agreement.
How does a complaints process work?
The handling of complaints processes depends on various factors, such as the topic or objective, the nature of the matter and the willingness of the parties involved to reach a solution.
- Make an appointment with the complaints office
- Consultation: present your concern, review any documents already submitted if applicable and reach an individual agreement on how to proceed
- On request or by arrangement, discuss with other involved parties to resolve the problem
Can I submit my concern anonymously to the complaints office?
In the case of an anonymous complaint, representatives of the complaints office have no opportunity to ask questions or provide feedback; as such, anonymous complaints cannot be accepted. However, processing your complaint in an anonymised form is possible. Please inform the responsible representatives if you wish to proceed in this way.
Where and in what language are consultations held?
Consultations usually take place in the offices of the University Strategic Development Office, though other locations may also be arranged if required. Consultations are always held with both representatives from the complaints office (i.e., at least three people are involved). Consultations can be conducted in German or English.
How will my information be handled?
All aspects of complaints procedures are treated with the utmost confidentiality for all parties. Representatives of the complaints centre are bound to secrecy. No personal information will be passed on without consent. Nor will any steps be taken that could allow conclusions to be drawn about the student unless the student so wishes.
What can I do if I am not satisfied with the solution?
It may be the case that your expectations cannot be fully met. However, you can assume that your request has been seriously and carefully considered and that the people involved in the clarification process are very keen to find a solution in order to avoid complaints in the future. In certain situations, it may therefore also be necessary to consider a compromise proposal.
If this also does not lead to a solution, you can either contact other people or university committees (faculty board, deans, chancellor or president). You can also take legal action, although this is outside the remit of the Student and Academic Complaints Office. From this point onwards, you should seek legal advice. The Studierendenwerk Thüringen offers expert legal advice within the scope of its tasks and responsibilities according to § 3 para. 1 of the »Thüringer Studierendenwerksgesetzes«. It is open to all students. The free counselling is provided by independent lawyers during the lecture period (also in English on request).