Síndic de Greuges (Ombudsman)

The Síndic de Greuges (ombudsman) is the figure appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Fundació per a la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Foundation for the Open University of Catalonia, FUOC). Their mission is to uphold the rights and duties of all the members of the University. They act will full independence and autonomy from all of the University’s other authorities and bodies (Article 24 of the University’s Organizational and Operational Regulations).

The functions of the Síndic de Greuges:

• To defend the rights and liberties of the members of the UOC university community when infringed by any act or situation of discrimination, defencelessness or arbitrariness, and to ensure compliance with all that set out in the UOC's Organisational and Operational Regulations and any other University regulation.
• To protect and defend in those issues submitted to them or in which they decide to act.
• To inform on the University's operation in order to improve university quality throughout. To do so, they may attend meetings of the University's collegial bodies in an advisory capacity.

The Síndic's activities will always ensure the defence of university quality throughout, and the University's values in particular, including the need to provide a forum for exchange, creation of knowledge and people's education, in the pursuit of guaranteeing these values and safeguarding them from negative effects from within or beyond the organisation.

The Síndic may draft reports on a specific topic, on their own initiative or at the request of the University's Governing Council or Board of Trustees.

The Síndic may, as part of their decisions and resolutions, make warnings, suggestions or recommendations to University authorities or staff as to their legal duties, but, under no circumstances, can they modify or annul records or resolutions.

The Síndic, within the framework of the UOC's Organisational and Operational Regulations, carries out their functions independently from the various University authorities, acting autonomously, objectively and impartially.