1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide a clear, fair, and accessible process for submitting and resolving complaints relating to the Academy’s educational, administrative, technical, financial, or customer-support services.

The Academy views complaints as an important source of feedback and an opportunity to correct mistakes, improve services, strengthen accountability, and protect the rights and interests of learners, customers, instructors, partners, and other stakeholders.

2. Scope

This policy applies to complaints concerning, among other matters:

• program information, enrollment, admission, or registration;
• course delivery, scheduling, access, learning materials, or academic support;
• staff, instructors, trainers, contractors, or representatives acting for the Academy;
• payments, invoices, refunds, billing, or other financial administration;
• certificates, attendance records, assessment administration, or verification services;
• the learning platform, website, technical systems, or digital services;
• privacy, confidentiality, data handling, accessibility, or communication;
• partnership, institutional, or customer-support services.

3. Guiding Principles

• Accessibility: complaints may be submitted through clear and practical channels.
• Fairness: each complaint will be reviewed objectively and without improper bias.
• Proportionality: the level of investigation will reflect the seriousness and complexity of the complaint.
• Confidentiality: information will be shared only with persons who need it to review or resolve the matter.
• Respect: all parties are expected to communicate professionally and without abusive language or conduct.
• No retaliation: no person will be disadvantaged for raising a genuine complaint in good faith.
• Improvement: recurring or systemic issues may be used to improve policies, training, systems, and services.

4. How to Submit a Complaint

Complaints should preferably be submitted in writing so that the issue can be recorded accurately and reviewed efficiently.

5. Information to Include

To help the Academy assess the matter, a complaint should include:

• the complainant’s full name and contact details;
• the relevant program, service, order, invoice, certificate, or account details;
• a clear description of the complaint;
• relevant dates and the names of persons involved, where known;
• copies of supporting evidence;
• details of any previous attempt to resolve the issue;
• the outcome or remedy being requested.

Anonymous complaints may be considered where the information is sufficiently specific and the matter raises a serious concern. However, anonymity may limit the Academy’s ability to investigate, verify facts, communicate, or provide a personal remedy.

6. When to Complain

Complaints should normally be submitted as soon as reasonably possible and preferably within 30 calendar days of the event, decision, or conduct concerned.

The Academy may consider an older complaint where there is a reasonable explanation for the delay, the matter remains capable of fair review, or the complaint raises a serious, recurring, safeguarding, legal, or institutional concern.

7. Complaint Handling Process

7.1 Initial assessment

The Academy will review the complaint to determine its nature, urgency, scope, responsible department, and whether another policy or procedure applies.

7.2 Informal resolution

Where appropriate, straightforward concerns may be resolved promptly through clarification, correction, replacement, technical assistance, apology, or another practical action.

7.3 Formal review

A formal complaint may be assigned to an appropriate manager, officer, or reviewer who was not directly responsible for the matter where independence is reasonably required.

7.4 Evidence and communication

The reviewer may examine records, correspondence, platform logs, policies, contracts, invoices, attendance data, assessments, or other relevant information. The Academy may ask the complainant or other persons to provide clarification or additional evidence.

7.5 Outcome

The Academy will communicate the outcome in writing where practicable. The response may explain the findings, actions taken, available remedy, reasons for the decision, and any further review or appeal option.

8. Response Timelines

Complex complaints may require additional time, particularly where multiple parties, external providers, archived records, legal issues, or detailed technical evidence are involved. In such cases, the Academy will aim to provide a progress update and a revised expected response date.

9. Possible Outcomes and Remedies

Depending on the circumstances, the Academy may:

• provide an explanation, clarification, or correction;
• issue an apology;
• restore access, correct records, or reissue documentation;
• provide technical or administrative assistance;
• review an assessment, attendance record, certificate, invoice, or service decision;
• offer a replacement service, credit, refund, or other financial remedy where justified and permitted;
• provide staff guidance, training, supervision, or corrective action;
• amend a process, policy, system, or communication;
• decline the complaint where it is unsupported, outside scope, abusive, repetitive, or otherwise unsuitable for further review.

The Academy will determine remedies based on the facts, applicable terms, contractual obligations, fairness, proportionality, and any relevant legal requirements.

10. Review or Appeal

A complainant who remains dissatisfied may request an internal review within 10 business days of receiving the final response.

The request should clearly identify:

• the outcome being challenged;
• the reason the original review is considered incomplete or incorrect;
• any significant new evidence that was not previously available;
• the revised outcome being requested.

An appeal is not a complete rehearing of the complaint merely because the complainant disagrees with the outcome. The review will generally focus on procedural fairness, material factual error, relevant new evidence, or an unreasonable or disproportionate decision.

The internal review decision will normally represent the Academy’s final internal position.

11. Unreasonable, Abusive, or Repetitive Conduct

The Academy will not refuse a complaint merely because it is critical or strongly expressed. However, it may limit or discontinue contact where communications are threatening, discriminatory, abusive, harassing, knowingly false, excessively repetitive, or intended to obstruct operations.

Where reasonable, the Academy may designate a single contact channel, request written communication, set proportionate communication limits, or decline to reconsider matters that have already completed the complaint and appeal process without significant new evidence.

12. Confidentiality and Personal Data

Complaint information will be handled in accordance with the Academy’s Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection requirements. Information may be shared internally or with relevant service providers, instructors, partners, advisers, insurers, payment processors, or authorities where reasonably necessary to review, resolve, document, or comply with legal obligations.

The Academy cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality where disclosure is necessary for a fair review, safeguarding, legal compliance, fraud prevention, defence of legal claims, or protection of rights and safety.

13. Complaint Records and Service Improvement

The Academy may retain complaint records, correspondence, evidence, findings, and outcomes for legitimate administrative, legal, compliance, quality-assurance, and service-improvement purposes.

Complaint data may be analysed in aggregated or de-identified form to identify recurring issues, improve training, revise policies, enhance systems, and strengthen learner and customer experience.

14. External Escalation

This policy does not prevent any person from contacting a competent regulator, consumer-protection authority, court, payment provider, data-protection authority, law-enforcement body, or other authorised institution where such a right exists.

Before external escalation, the Academy encourages complainants to use the internal process where appropriate, so that the matter can be reviewed and, where possible, resolved directly.

15. Complaints Contact Details

Formal complaints should be marked “Formal Complaint” and sent to:

16. Institutional Addresses

17. Policy Changes

The Academy may update this policy to reflect changes in services, internal procedures, legal requirements, technology, or institutional structure. The latest version published on the Academy’s website will apply from its stated effective date.