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Ombuds Officer

The Ombuds Officer of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona responsibilities are to receive the complaints and observations made on the functioning of the university, to guarantee the abidance of all that which is laid down in the UAB Statutes, and to present non-binding resolution proposals to the competent bodies on issues submitted to them by the members of the university community.

The university Ombuds Officer carries out their duties independently and with objectivity. They are in no way subject to an imperative mandate, nor do they receive instructions from any authorities, and they act with autonomy and in accordance to their own criteria, as laid down in the UAB Statutes.

The ombuds officer is elected by the university Senate by absolute majority and appointed by the university Principal. The ombuds officer holds office for four years and may be reelected only once.

Maria Jesús Espuny, síndica de greuges de la UAB

About the Ombudsman

María Jesús Espuny was appointed Ombuds Officer of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona on 1 June 2022.

Contact:

Ombuds Office (Sindicatura de Greuges)

Rectorate building

First Floor - Office A/1008

08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès)

Telephone: +34 93 581 30 80

E-mail address: sindica@uab.cat

Related documents:



Responsibilities

  1. Put forward their working regulations to be passed by the Senate.
  2. Receive complaints and observations on the functioning of the university and carry out evaluations to decide whether to follow up with legal procedures.
  3. Request information to different university sectors or community members aimed at improving the fulfillment of their duties.
  4. Request the presence of heads of university bodies or community members when considered indispensable for the fulfillment of their duties.
  5. Attend sessions held by university bodies focused on matters related to the tasks carried out by the ombuds officer.
  6. Put forward proposals considered adequate to solve the cases communicated to them. g) Offer arbitration services when solicited by interested parties.
  7. Present the Senate with an annual report of its activities which includes recommendations for the improvement of university services.

University bodies are obliged to provide data and information requested by the Ombuds Office, as well as actively respond to different proposals or considerations suggested for their functions.

Complaints

The Ombuds Officer of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona represents and addresses complaints presented by individual citizens.

Who can present a complaint to the Ombuds Officer? 

  • Any individual or collective member of the university community.
  • Any non-member of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona who considers their rights have been violated by any of the different services UAB offers to the wider public.  

How? 

  • Complaints must be submitted in writing using the online form (send a complaint to the Ombuds Officer) and filling out the information requested, including first and last name, address, telephone number, relation to Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and reasons for presenting the complaint.
  • The ombuds officer does not accept complaints from anonymous parties.

File Closure

The Ombuds Office will inform the interested party of all procedure results and, in accordance with current legislation, will propose to the relevant bodies non-binding solutions or conciliation recommendations to reach a positive and rapid resolution.

Confidentiality

Personal data and all other information, whether spoken or written, received by the Ombuds Office from persons requesting assistance, as well as those obtained during the investigation process, and in general all documents compiled in each case, will be treated with strict confidentiality.  

Annual ombuds report presented to the Senate

Related links

University

Non-University

Ombudsmen Organisations

Extra information

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