A study conducted last year by the National Commission into the provision of information on the websites of several educational institutions showed that the – current – text of the Code of Conduct was often missing, and that some of them contained outdated information, links and brochures. That is why the Commission recently checked the websites of all 75 educational institutions listed in the Register of the Code of Conduct for up-to-date information on the Code of Conduct. This also included information about the complaint procedure for international students. When the information found was approved, this was recorded and no further actions were taken, but if the findings were insufficient, these were submitted by email to the educational institution with the request to respond and to complete or correct the information.

The conclusion drawn from the study was that the information on the Code of Conduct on the websites of the educational institutions was often insufficient: only 11 of the 75 institutions did not require any follow-up action. Not only was the – current – text of the Code of Conduct or the complaints procedure for the international students often lacking, many sites contained outdated information, links and brochures. The findings were presented to the relevant institutions. Subsequently, some of them have adjusted their website, which concluded the study for them. A small number is still working to update the information. The Commission greatly appreciates the fact that its contacts within the educational institutes often led to quick adjustments to the websites.

The most important findings are shared with the Executive Boards. The Commission points out the importance of keeping the information on the Code of Conduct and the – included – complaint procedure open to international students up to date at all times in order to provide correct information on the educational institutions’ websites. In this context, the two videos available on the Code of Conduct’s website are relevant. The first video gives general information about the Code of Conduct. The second video focuses on the complaints procedure for international students included in the Code of Conduct. The Commission strongly recommends the use of both videos in the provision of information to international students. The study will be repeated at the end of 2019.