Welcome slide

1. Welcome slide

2. Future arrangements for the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey Sarbani Banerjee – Senior Higher Education Policy Adviser for the Provision of Information - HEFCE London 30 August 2013

3. Aims of the event • Provide an update on the process for 2014 • Hear from an institution that manages the survey • Hear from us about what a potential contractor could offer • Discuss the pros and cons of each of our options and feed back to us

4. Changes to DLHE survey 2014-15 • Rationale • White Paper’s commitment to develop a ‘level playing field’ between all types of HE provider • English FECs would be required to fund and administer the DLHE survey for themselves • Circular letter outlining options for FECs (April 13) • To ‘go it alone’ - fund and administer the DLHE survey for themselves • HEFCE to tender on behalf of FECs to establish a framework supplier • To collaborate with other FECs/HEIs to run the survey as a consortium

5. Update on the process • Support to manage procurement and data quality. • HEFCE to appoint a supplier through OJEU open tender process. • First tranche of the survey (April 2014) for English FECs to become optional • HEFCE supplier in place to support second tranche (January 2015) • After 2015, FECs expected to use framework supplier if data does not meet requirements.

6. What this will mean for your institution. • We want to explore with you... • What our proposals would mean for your institution • What considerations should we build into the Invitation to Tender for approved supplier. • How we can further support you through these changes

7. Association of Colleges (AoC) Nick Davy – AoC HE Policy Manager London 30 August 2013

8. Data Quality Richard Puttock – HEFCE Head of data and management information London 30 August 2013

9. Why good DLHE data is important • High response rates • Target response rate: • Full Time – 80% • Part Time – 70% • Important because: • Comparable and publishable data – used to inform student choice • Quality assurance and enhancement • Informs public policy - the social, cultural and economic benefit of Higher Education

10. HEFCE’s Data Thresholds... • Currently a minimum of 23 students • Concern of non-publishable data • Round table discussions about data thresholds • Part of HEFCE’s financial memorandum • Data contributes to the wider debate around the value of HE in FE • Distinctive contribution of smaller providers

11. HEFCE’s requirements • Data requirements • Complete responses and full data • Correct SOC and SIC coding • Data submission via HEFCE extranet, linked to ILR (XML format). • Preparedness checklist • To help FECs think about the practicalities of running the survey • To allow HEFCE to act as a critical friend

12. Resources from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) London 30 August 2013 Catherine Benfield - HESA www.hesa.ac.uk/C11018

13. An institution’s perspective of running the survey Amin Pradhan and Ruth Cartwright – University College Birmingham London 30 August 2013

14. University College Birmingham Destination of Leavers in Higher Education Amin PradhanRuth Cartwright

15. Who uses the Data • Statutory Customers, various bodies including BIS, HEFCE, Training and Development Agency for Schools • The HE sector in the UK • Those involved in production of TQI and performance indicators, League Tables • UNISTATS – www.unistats.com compare institutions • Public interest in HE • Internal – academic staff, various business units, self assessment, Careers Advisers, prospective students, current students

19. Time Line

20. Time Line All students completing the survey are logged on daily basis so that we do not contact them again

22. Telephone Survey Preparation • Identify Student Ambassadors • Take into consideration language requirements if students are international • Train them thoroughly ensure they understand the need for accurate data • Commence telephone survey evenings and weekend with a supervisor who can advise where necessary

23. Success of different methods used

24. Target Response Required by HESA/HEFCE • Full-time UK – 80% (UCB 87.0%) • Part-Time UK – 70% (UCB 85.1%) • EU – 50% (UCB 64.8%) • International - 0% (UCB 21.5%) UCB DLHE Survey Population Academic Year 10/11 – 1070 Academic Year 11/12 – 1638 Target Response Rate Required:

25. CASCOT • CASCOT is designed to assign a code to a piece of text. e.g. a SOC code to a job title from the DLHE survey • When CASCOT assigns a code to a piece of text it also calculates a score from 1 to 100 which represents the degree of certainty that the given code is correct, however, be aware that: • you do not have to use the recommendation made by CASCOT (regardless of the score it is given) • Use your judgement to assess whether it is the most accurate code and reflects the true nature of the job • Make use of it. UCB could not do the DLHE return without it

26. Issues to watch out for • Ensure contact details are kept up-to-date • Classification of SOC codes • Postcodes • Ensure the salary field is for annual Salary • Ensure you have an effective procedure for logging responses and you do not contact any students who have replied

27. Things to consider for survey • What methods are you going to use:- • Postal forms • Online survey • Use PDFs • Undertake telephone survey • Current Students • Raising awareness of DLHE survey

28. Things to consider for survey • Some graduates will like to complete forms online, others will not, so offer as many methods of completing the survey as possible • Up-to-date contact information • Call at the right times • Resource requirements • Collaboration/Managed service

29. Finally • Plan well, do not leave it too late as this is a time consuming task • Make sure you have the necessary resources available i.e. Can you manage in-house or do you need extra help • Keep an audit trail

30. What a contractor would offer Matthew Barrow – HE Policy Adviser for the Provision of Information - HEFCE London 30 August 2013

31. Running the DLHE survey through a contractor • HEFCE to run a tender exercise to establish a framework supplier. • This should: • Ensure economies of scale • Reduce the burden for FECs to run competitive tender exercises • Support FECs to provide good quality data

32. Current Contractor • Current contractor for the collection of DLHE data for FECs covers: • 116 colleges • 22,438 graduates • College populations range from 4 to 1590 • Response target of 80% (high) • Means contacting over 17,950 graduates

33. College’s Responsibility • Provide the contractor with a contact list of the survey sample • Communicate with the contractor

34. What the contractor will provide • Contracted to run the survey on your behalf • Set up data systems • Advertise and market the survey • Digital copy of the survey sent out via e-mail • Specialist online survey software with unique access codes • Adapted for smart phones • Text messages • Letters • Fully trained call team • Diagnostics • Producing the data and analysing

35. Costs involved • Costs • Currently, the survey runs at a cost of ≈ £10 per student • Dependent on the bids that we receive from our Invitation to Tender • There may be an annual set up cost • There may be a cost per student

36. Practicalities of using a contractor • Practicalities • Staff and student awareness of the survey running • Quality of the alumni contact records • Set up costs for institutions

37. Benefits to using a contractor • Benefits • End to end service • Reduced risk • Fixed costs • Expertise and experience • Soc and Sic coding • The rules and any changes • No need to recruit temporary staff • Economies of scale • Brand awareness

38. Group Discussion Sarbani Banerjee – Senior Higher Education Policy Adviser for the Provision of Information - HEFCE London 30 August 2013

39. Discuss in groups • Feedback on HEFCE’s process • Timing • Options available • Preparedness checklist • What would be the implications for your institution • How can HEFCE support FECs through these changes