Public Services Ombudsman Act (Northern Ireland) 2016

Matters which may be investigated: universities

18.—(1) This section applies where the listed authority is—

(a) The Queen’s University of Belfast,

(b) University of Ulster.

(2) The Ombudsman may investigate alleged maladministration through action taken by a university in the exercise of administrative functions, in respect of students enrolled in courses provided or validated by the university.

(3) Where the investigation is under section 5 or 6, the complaint must have been made by a student, or a person who has been a student.

(4) But the Ombudsman has no jurisdiction to investigate a matter to the extent that it relates to a matter of academic judgement.

(5) If the Ombudsman has jurisdiction in respect of a complaint, the visitor of a university has no jurisdiction in respect of that complaint.

(6) Where, before this section has come into operation, a complaint has been made to the visitor but has not been resolved by the visitor, the visitor has jurisdiction to deal with that complaint as if the other provisions of this section had not come into operation.

(7) In this Act, references to a university include references to a constituent college, school or hall or other institution of a university.