HESA Training Seminar DLHE Introductory

1. HESA Training Seminar DLHE Introductory 12 June 2008

2. Introduction to HESA

3. Governance • HESA is a Company Limited by Guarantee … • … whose Members are Universities UK and Guild HE, who appoint Board … • … so HESA is a sector-owned agency … • … whose relationship to government departments and funding bodies (whom we call Statutory Customers) is governed by formal agreements or contracts.

4. Management • 60.25 FTE staff • Chief Executive Professor Robin Sibson … • … plus five Heads of Units … • … plus 59 FTE other staff, almost all highly-skilled • Budget £3.7 million for 2006/07 • HEI core subscriptions £2.3 million • Contract funding £0.8 million • Commercial and other income £0.6 million • Located at 95 Promenade, Cheltenham

5. Why do we exist? • Established following Further & Higher Education Act 1992 … • … to be the central data collection and provision agency for UK higher education … • … taking over from Universities Statistical Record and PCFC data collections (and five more!) … • … and making first data collections for 1994/95

6. Models for how we operate • Model 1: HESA acts on behalf of the sector to enable it to meet the statutory data requirements of funding bodies and government departments. • Model 2: HESA exercises statutory powers of data collection from HEIs on behalf of its Statutory Customers. • Both models are valid.

7. What do we do? • Annual data collections from institutions • Creation of data bases from collections • Supply of data to Statutory Customers • Regular paper and electronic publications, some NS output • Information provision service • NEW! DLHE web service, HEIDI MIS

8. Why do we collect data? • Because a Statutory Customer states a requirement for it – and nowadays has to be prepared to defend that requirement on the basis of actual usage … • … or because the HE sector needs the data for its own purposes … • … but not at the behest of anyone else … • … and not on the off-chance that it might be useful.

9. What data do we collect? • Students • 2005/06 Collection: 7,600 data transactions, 34,400,000 records submitted, 3,300,000 records on final database • Non-credit-bearing provision • Optional except Welsh for Adults from Welsh HEI’s • Destinations of leavers • 6 months full coverage, now also 3½ year sample follow up • Staff • Finance

10. How do we do it? • All data collections now web-based • Aardvark data collection software developed by HESA • Data bases run under Oracle 10g … • … on Intel (PC) servers running Linux • Paper and electronic publications produced in-house, only actual printing and CD duplicating outsourced

11. Who are our customers? • Statutory Customers: government departments and funding agencies in England and the devolved administrations • DIUS, HEFCE, TDA, DH, SE, SFC, NAW, HEFCW, DEL[NI], RCs • governed by contracts, SLAs, and MoUs • The HE sector in the UK • 170 institutions; representative and sector bodies • The public interest in HE • students, employers, trades unions, the media, academic researchers, …

12. 1990s: the quality agenda • Making it all work • Sharpening up quality • Exploiting emerging technologies • Meeting standards: ISO9001 and BS7799 • Unfinished business: loose ends and linkage

13. 2000s: new agendas • minimising the accountability burden • working with data protection • taking over performance indicators • equal opportunities and widening participation • supporting teaching quality assurance • Developing and supporting HEIDI • … but the data quality agenda is still central

14. DLHE Methodology

15. Overview • DLHE is a survey of all leavers from HE who meet the criteria for inclusion • Finds out what leavers are doing six months after completed studies • Forms the first part of the two stage DLHE survey which investigates the career patterns of leavers over three and a half year

16. Timing • Two census dates each year: - April for leavers who completed their studies between 1 August and 31 December the previous year - January for leavers who competed their studies between 1 January and 31 July • Two data capture reference dates but only one return

17. Who uses the data? • Institutions • HESA • Statutory Customers • Ad hoc enquiries • Those involved in production of TQI and performance indicators

18. DLHE and the Student Record • Target population for DLHE is produced from the relevant Student Record • April Target List System to assist with POPDLHE for April survey • Read only access codes to the HESA data collection system for DLHE contacts to assist with POPDLHE for January survey

19. POPDLHE • Relevant qualifiers • All modes bar dormant • UK and EC • www.hesa.ac.uk/07018/coverage

20. Information required by HESA • Questionnaires A3 flat or A4/A5 folded • Second mailing • Telephone scripts • Welsh questionnaires • Confirm two delivery addresses • Confirm POPDLHE or provide new figures

21. Delivery • Sent direct from printers • April survey – delivered in March • January survey – delivered September • Check delivery • Any problems – contact Institutional Liaison

22. Data capture • A number of data capture methods are available and are detailed in the DLHE Methodology • When to use each method must follow the schedule for collection

23. Covering letter and email • Each time a leaver is contacted certain information should be imparted • This information is detailed in the covering letters and emails available on the website • Again, how to use these letters and emails is detailed in the DLHE Methodology

24. Methods • Postal or electronic version of questionnaire • Telephone follow-up – leaver or third party • Direct contact with the leaver • Other informed source

25. Remember… • Always impart the information in the covering letters and emails whenever a leaver is contacted

26. Response rate targets • Currently these are set as follows: • UK domiciled students: • Full-time 80% • Part-time 70% • Other EU domiciled students: • All modes 50%

27. Audit trail • All responses returned to HESA need to be supported by an audit trail in the institution • Questionnaire signed and dated by the respondent • Telephone script signed and dated by the caller

28. Good Practice Guide • The Good Practice Guide features throughout the DLHE Methodology • It will help institutions to run an effective data collection procedure

29. DLHE development for the 2007/08 survey • Improved accessibility • Reassessed core and non-core questions • Resolved issue about multiple qualifications • Improved guidance • Included a Longitudinal DLHE opt-out box

30. And finally… • Use the DLHE Methodology for advice and guidance • Helps institutions work out which combination of options works for them in achieving the response rate target • Answers a lot of questions and should be first point of reference

31. Developments • Consultation about use of the HTML centrally-hosted online DLHE versions of the questionnaire • Possibility of extending the DLHE survey system for use as a data entry tool • Use of the April target list system

32. Task 1 Selecting the correct population to survey

33. The DLHE Return (C07018)

34. Objectives • How the data collected in the survey (paper questionnaire and telephone script) is returned to HESA • How questions link to fields • Fields that are not linked to questions • Core questions/fields • Common pitfalls

35. General guidance • Core questions • Identified on the telephone script • Must be completed where applicable • Identify the category of leaver and ensure the appropriate sections have been completed • Part-time • Initial Teacher Training • Research Council funded • Contact leaver sooner rather than later for confirmation/clarification if required

36. General guidance • No blank fields • If the section does not apply to the leaver then the appropriate default ‘X’ code should be returned • ‘Not used’ fields within the record • Fields that are not linked to the questionnaire

37. Returning DLHE responses to HESA • Input data from questionnaire/telephone script • Extract file • Validate file • Submit file to HESA • File must conform to the 2007/08 DLHE Record Specification at: • http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_collns&task=show_manuals&Itemid=233&r=07018

38. Fields that are not linked to the questionnaire/telephone script • Fields 1-3 Identifiers • Not linked to questionnaire/telephone script • Field 1 Record type indicator (RECID) • 07018 for 2007/08 DLHE • Field 2 HESA institution identifier (INSTID) • 4-digit codes e.g. 0113 Brunel University • Field 3 Student identifier (HUSID) • A 13-digit numeric code which is the HUSID from the student record (matched to POPDLHE)

39. Fields that are not linked to the questionnaire/telephone script • Field 4 Method of data collection (METHOD) • This field describes the survey method used • Used to determine which method is more successful • Drives validation

40. Fields that are not linked to the questionnaire/telephone script • NEW! Field 57 April or January survey (APRJAN) • This field is to record whether the graduate was surveyed in April or January • To allow graduates who obtained more than one qualification in a reporting year to be surveyed twice and their responses linked to the appropriate student record

41. Section A What will you be doing? • Q1 / F5 • Q2 / F6 • Core questions for all leavers • Need to determine what the leaver is doing with respect to BOTH work and further study • Questions drive validation

42. Q1. Which of the following statements best describes your employment circumstances • Field 5 Employment circumstances (EMPCIR)

43. Field 5 Employment circumstances (EMPCIR) • Options describing type of work: • 01 Employed full-time in paid work • 02 Employed part-time in paid work • 03 Self-employed/freelance • 15 Voluntary work/other unpaid work • Options describing reasons why leaver is not employed: • 10 Taking time out in order to travel • 11 Due to start a job within the next month • 12 Unemployed and looking for employment, further study or training • 13 Not employed but NOT looking for employment, further study or training • 14 Something else • 16 Permanently unable to work/retired • 17 Temporarily sick or unable to work/looking after the home or family

44. Q2. Were you involved in either full-time or part-time study or training or registered as a research student? • Field 6 Study (MODSTUDY) • Nature of study for leavers involved in further study: • 1 Full-time study • 2 Part-time study • Leavers not involved further study: • 3 Not in study, training or registered as a research student

45. Section A What will you be doing? • Core questions and core fields • Default code for explicit refusals and deceased • QUESTION:-What if the leaver does not answer these core questions?

46. Section A What will you be doing? • ANSWERS:- • If the leaver does not answer Q1. or complete Section B on employment, but indicates that they are in full-time study in Q2. then return code '13‘ Not employed but NOT looking for employment, further study or training in Q1. • A response to Q2. must be obtained from the leaver even if Section C on Further study, training or research has been completed

47. Core questions for employed leavers:- Q3/F11, Q9/F65, Q10/F9 Non-core questions:- Q4/F11, Q5/F13, Q6/F14, Q7/F65, Q8/F58, Q11/F12, Q12/F15, Q13/F16, Q14/F17-19, 21, 59-62,Q15/F25, Q16/F26, Q17/F27-32 Questions not on telephone script:- Q13, Q14 Section B Your employment

48. Q3. What was your job title? • Field 10 Job title (JOBTITLE) • Core question for employed leavers • However, returning response to HESA is currently optional • Computer Assisted Structured Coding Tool (CASCOT) comparison will be carried out where job titles are returned • Default code XXXX

49. Q3. What was your job title?Q4. Briefly describe your duties • Field 11 Standard Occupational Classification (SOCDLHE) • Q3. Core question for employed leavers • Q4. Not a core question - may help in SOC coding • Core ‘field’ for employed leavers • CASCOT – Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and SOC coding tool • Current version of CASCOT will be updated shortly to include SIC 2007 • Default code XXXXX

50. Q6. What was your annual pay? • Q6. What was your annual pay to the nearest thousand (£), before tax? If you were employed for less than a year or are part-time, please estimate your pay to the full-time annual equivalent • Field 14 Salary (SALARY) • Format – leading zeros (£15,341 returned as 015000) • Not a core question • Leaver can refuse to provide information • Full-time annual equivalent • Default code XXXXXX