Section B
Appeals
An appeal is a formal request to review the outcome of a decision made by Malvern International, on the grounds that the decision may have been procedurally unfair, unreasonable, or affected by new evidence. This policy recognises three categories of appeal:
- Academic appeals – relating to assessment processes or academic decisions under Malvern’s responsibility
- Non-academic appeals – relating to complaints or decisions arising from student conduct, service access, or other non-teaching matters
- Admissions appeals – relating to decisions to reject an application to study at Malvern International
Appeals must be based on one or more of the following recognised grounds:
- Procedural irregularity: administrative or procedural errors that may have materially affected the outcome
- New material evidence: information or documentation that was not reasonably available at the time of the original decision and may have affected the outcome
- Unreasonable or disproportionate outcome: the decision was clearly unreasonable or inconsistent with the evidence presented
- Failure to implement agreed reasonable adjustments: in cases involving disability or access needs
Appeals that are based solely on disagreement with an academic judgement (such as the assessment of the quality of work or grading decisions) will not be accepted, as these fall outside the scope of review under the UK Quality Code and OIA guidance.
Each appeal must be submitted in writing and include:
- The specific grounds being cited
- A summary of the original decision and outcome
- Any supporting evidence or documentation
- The outcome being sought by the student or applicant
Further details on the process for submitting and reviewing appeals are set out in Sections B.1 (Academic), B.3 (Non-Academic), and B.4 (Admissions).
Academic Appeals Overview
An academic appeal is a request to review an academic decision based on procedure, not academic judgement. Malvern International is responsible for delivering teaching, setting and marking assessments, and ensuring fair academic processes (Section B.1). However, final academic decisions on progression and award are made by the partner university’s assessment boards (Section B.2).
B.1 Academic Appeals (Malvern owned academic processes)
Students may raise a formal appeal to Malvern where the concern relates to:
- Procedural or administrative errors in the delivery, marking, or moderation of assessments
- Failure to implement reasonable adjustments or agreed academic arrangements
- Delivery or conduct of assessments by Malvern staff
Appeals must be submitted within 15 working days of notification of the result, using the Academic Appeal Form. Malvern will investigate whether its academic processes were followed fairly and accurately. Where necessary, recommendations will be made to the relevant university board.
B.1.1 Stage 1: Informal Resolution
Students are encouraged to raise concerns about assessment delivery, marking, or academic process informally with the relevant teaching staff member (e.g. module tutor or programme leader) as early as possible. Where appropriate, the concern may be resolved quickly through clarification, informal review of process, or explanation. Informal concerns should be raised within 10 working days of the results publication. If the concern cannot be resolved informally, or the student remains dissatisfied, they may proceed to the formal stage.
B.1.2 Stage 2: Formal Appeal Submission and Review
Students must submit a formal Academic Appeal Form within 15 working days of the results publication and after they have sought informal resolution. Appeals must be based on valid grounds (section B). Upon receipt, the Centre will:
- Acknowledge the appeal within 5 working days
- Check that it meets the required grounds and timescale
- Refer the student to the appropriate procedure if the appeal is misdirected
- Where possible, the Centre may still encourage resolution through dialogue or clarification.
Appeals lacking valid grounds or evidence may be rejected at this stage, with reasons provided in writing.
Where the appeal is accepted:
- An independent academic staff member with no prior involvement will be appointed to investigate
- The student and relevant staff may be interviewed
- Documentation will be reviewed and findings recorded
- The investigator will report findings to the appropriate university board if relevant
- The student may attend any formal meeting, supported by a peer or Student Services Officer.
A written outcome will be issued within 15 working days of the final meeting and will include:
- A decision and rationale
- Any actions to be taken
- Right to request a review (if eligible)
- Contact points for advice and support
B.1.3 Stage 3: Review
Students enrolled on franchised, validated, or similar programmes delivered by Malvern International are subject to Malvern’s appeals procedure in the first instance for academic appeals for section B.1. Where internal procedures have been exhausted and the student remains dissatisfied, the appeal may be escalated to the relevant awarding partner in line with their published policies. Malvern will:
- Provide the student with the relevant awarding partner’s appeals policy and forms
- Support the referral of the case where appropriate
- Acknowledge that the partner institution’s decision is final under their own governance structure
- Issue a Completion of Procedures letter only once both internal and, where applicable, partner-level processes are exhausted
B.2 Academic Outcomes Appeals (University Partners)
Appeals against progression, award, or termination decisions must be submitted through the university partner’s academic appeals process. Malvern will:
- Provide students with the appropriate appeals policy and guidance
- Support students in preparing their appeal, if requested
- Refer any internal findings that may be relevant to the university’s assessment board
Malvern will not issue a Completion of Procedures Letter for academic decisions made by a university board unless explicitly requested by the partner.
Non-Academic and Admissions Appeals
B.3 Non-Academic Appeals
A non-academic appeal is defined as a request by a student to review the outcome of a decision arising from a non-academic complaint, such as those related to:
- Harassment or sexual misconduct investigations
- Access to support services or learning resources
- Behaviour or conduct of staff or students
- Breach of non-academic policy or procedural fairness
Non-academic appeals follow a two-stage process designed to support early resolution and ensure fairness and transparency.
B.3.1 Stage 1: Informal Resolution
Students are encouraged to raise concerns related to non-academic matters informally in the first instance. This may include concerns related to:
- Harassment or sexual misconduct investigations
- Access to support services or learning resources
- Behaviour or conduct of staff or students
- Breach of non-academic policy or procedural fairness
Students should raise the concern with the relevant staff member or department, such as Head of Student Services or the Centre Director, as soon as possible and ideally within 10 working days of the issue arising.
Informal resolution may include clarification, mediation, or practical steps to resolve the matter. A written outcome will normally be provided within 10 working days. If the student is not satisfied with the response, they may proceed to Stage 2.
B.3.2 Stage 2: Formal Appeal Submission and Review
If informal resolution does not resolve the issue, students may submit a formal non-academic appeal in writing within 10 working days of the outcome of their original complaint.
Appeals will only be considered where one or more of the following grounds are met:
- Procedural irregularity in the handling of the original complaint
- Unreasonable or disproportionate outcome based on the available evidence
- New, material evidence that was not reasonably available at the time of the original decision
Formal appeals must include:
- A clear statement of the grounds for appeal
- A summary of the original complaint and the outcome received
- Any supporting documentation or new evidence
The appeal will be reviewed by a sub-group of the MHEP Executive Board, comprising senior staff not previously involved in the matter. This review will focus on whether the original process was followed correctly and whether the outcome was reasonable and proportionate.
Students may submit a written statement or additional clarification as part of the review. The panel will not re-investigate the original complaint but may recommend further action where appropriate.
A written outcome will be provided within 20 working days and will constitute the final internal stage. A Completion of Procedures Letter will be issued where applicable, enabling referral to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) if the complaint meets eligibility criteria.
Where the non-academic matter relates to harassment or sexual misconduct, this policy should be read in conjunction with the Student Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy, which outlines specific procedures, definitions, and safeguarding considerations.
B.4 Admissions Appeals
An admissions appeal is a formal request by an applicant to challenge a decision to reject their application for entry to a Malvern International programme. The appeal process will differ depending on the admissions framework.
B.5 Appeals under Malvern-managed admissions process
Where Malvern International manages admissions under a formal agreement with a university partner (e.g. issuing offer letters, assessing applications, or making recommendations), applicants may appeal a decision through the following staged process:
B.5.1 Stage 1: Informal Resolution
Applicants are encouraged to first contact the Admissions Team for clarification or informal feedback on the decision. In many cases, queries can be resolved at this stage by providing additional information or explanation.
Informal enquiries should be made as soon as possible following the receipt of the admissions decision and will normally be responded to within 5 working days.
B.5.2 Stage 2: Formal Appeal Submission and Review
If the applicant remains dissatisfied, they may submit a formal appeal in writing within 10 working days of the original decision or informal response. Appeals must be addressed to the Head of Admissions and include:
- A clear statement of the grounds for appeal, which may include:
- Procedural error or irregularity in the admissions process
- New and relevant evidence that was not available at the time
- Manifest unreasonableness, bias, or unfairness in the decision-making process
- Any supporting documentation
- A copy of the original application decision or correspondence
The appeal will be reviewed by a senior member of staff not involved in the original decision. A written outcome will normally be issued within 10 working days of receipt. A Completion of Procedures Letter will be issued, which may be used to refer the matter to the awarding partner or the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), where applicable.
B.5.3 Stage 3: Review (Non-Academic and Admissions Appeals)
For non-academic and admissions appeals, Malvern International’s internal process represents the final stage of review. However, where a student or applicant is enrolled on, or applying to, a franchised or validated programme delivered in partnership with a university, and the matter remains unresolved after exhausting Malvern’s procedures, the student may request that the case be considered under the partner university’s relevant policies, where permitted. Malvern will:
- Provide access to the partner university’s complaints or admissions appeals policy and relevant documentation
- Support the referral of the case, where appropriate
- Acknowledge that the partner university’s decision will be final under its governance framework
A Completion of Procedures Letter will be issued only where Malvern is the final decision-maker or where explicitly requested by the partner institution.
B.6 Appeals under University-managed admissions
Where admissions are conducted using a university partner’s systems and authority, Malvern acts only in an administrative or support capacity.
- In such cases, Malvern will refer the applicant to the university’s admissions appeals or complaints procedure.
- Malvern will assist the student in accessing the correct process but will not conduct its own internal review.
Completion of Procedures Letters will only be issued by Malvern for Malvern-controlled decisions. Malvern will not issue a Completion of Procedures Letter for academic decisions made by a university board unless explicitly requested by the partner.
Section C
Monitoring, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement
C.1 Purpose and Commitment
Malvern International is committed to maintaining the effectiveness, transparency, and fairness of its complaints and appeals processes. Regular monitoring and reporting enable the institution to:
- Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements
- Identify emerging patterns, risks, or areas for enhancement
- Uphold institutional accountability and drive continuous improvement
- Maintain the confidence of students, staff, and external partners in the fairness of our procedures
C.2 Data Collection and Review
Each Centre will maintain a secure and anonymised record of all complaints and appeals, including:
- Type of case
- Stage at which it was resolved (informal, formal, review)
- Timeframes for each stage of the process
- Grounds cited and outcomes reached
- Any referrals to partner institutions or external bodies
- Completion of Procedures Letters issued
This data will be reviewed on a termly basis by relevant governance groups.
C.3 Annual Reporting
The summary of any academic complaints or appeals will be part of the annual monitoring report at centre level and will form part of the trend and regulatory review through the Quality Action Plan.
An annual summary report will be submitted to the Executive Board on any non-academic and admission complaints and appeals, and where relevant, shared with external partners.
The reports will include:
- Quantitative data on complaints and appeals by category
- Time-to-resolution benchmarks and any cases exceeding published timeframes
- Key themes or concerns raised by students
- Actions taken to address any systemic or procedural issues
- Recommendations for training, policy review, or service improvements
Anonymised trend data may also be shared with student representatives or staff development teams to support learning and transparency.
C.4 Policy Review and Benchmarking
This policy will be formally reviewed annually or sooner where:
- There is a significant change in sector guidance
- Following an internal audit recommendation
- Following a quality action plan or annual summary report review
The review will assess the alignment of Malvern’s procedures with sector best practice and ensure continued relevance across all centres and delivery models.
C.5 Partner Institution Coordination
For franchised or validated programmes, Malvern International will:
- Comply with partner university reporting requirements for complaint and appeal cases
- Share anonymised data on student referrals, outcomes, and emerging themes
- Participate in joint reviews, audits, or case management discussions where appropriate
- Ensure students are made aware of both Malvern and partner procedures, and are supported to navigate both where applicable
