Student record 2007/08

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Summary of main changes

Version 1.2 Produced 2007-02-15

This document summarises the main changes in the 2007/08 Student Record.

Managing Information Across Partners (MIAP) programme

2007/08 sees the implementation of a number of changes to comply with the data standards set by the MIAP programme. This includes the replacement of the HESA institution identifier with the UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN). Full details of the changes driven by the MIAP programme are available here.

Data models and XML

The new student record structure is based on a logical data model and defined as an XML schema definition. Documents that define the data model, the file structure and the terminology of the new structure all form a part of the documentation published here. The hierarchical nature of the data structure has also led to some changes in the way the list of fields is presented.

Course and Course Aim

Although the previous data specification included attributes of the course, the concept of the course was not strong and there was no way in which data could be analysed and presented by course (the combination of mode, level and subject was the usual proxy). The 2007/08 Student Record now includes a Course entity. This recognises that there is a desire to analyse the record by course, specifically but not exclusively for the presentation of data for the TQI web site and the analysis of DLHE information.

Full details of the Course entity are contained in the Course specification document. Also see additional guidance document Courses.

The new qualification aim coding frame is intended to take account of new and changed qualifications and in particular to allow mapping to external qualification frameworks. The new coding frame is more structured than the previous one and consequently looks quite different.

Modules/Units of Learning

Some institutions have expressed concerns about the requirement to provide module/units of learning data for all students, in particular for research students. It is recognised that "module" may not be a term that is used within all HEIs. For non-modularised courses institutions will need to return one or more dummy modules in order to provide the cost centre, subject and percentage information used to calculate the student load split across cost centres and JACS2 codes.

There is a new document containing additional guidance on modules here.

Dormant students

Increasing reliance on the HIN linking mechanism has made it necessary for the guidance on dormant students to change for 2007/08. Institutions must account for all instances on which a student was active in the previous year (and who did not complete or suspend study on that programme) even those where the student has been dormant throughout the current reporting year, by submitting the instance with a dormant mode of study (codes 63, 64, 73 or 74) in Instance.MODE. Once this dormant instance has been submitted, it is not necessary to continue submitting dormant instances each year unless a qualification is being returned from the dormant mode or the student resumes study, in which case an active instance will be required.

Data for Students Studying Wholly Overseas

There are now formal requirements to collect some limited data about all students registered with UK HEIs but studying wholly overseas. Return of such students in the Student Record was previously optional (LOCSDY, Code 7) but they should now not be included. A separate simple aggregate return is being specified to meet these formal requirements. More information will be available for institutions at a later stage – although the data requirement is likely to be related to provision and not to students.

Domicile and Nationality

HESA is adopting a standard list of country codes agreed by the UK National Statistics Harmonisation Group and derived from ISO 3166. In addition, Nationality is now a compulsory field for institutions in England, Scotland and Wales. Both Domicile and Nationality fields have significant guidance in the notes to the fields and a mapping from old HESA codes is also available.

Qualifications on Entry

Currently, a matrix of tariff information is collected on the individualised Student Record (number of certain qualifications and associated tariff scores, together with a total tariff score), which does not lend itself to much detailed scrutiny, other than calculation of tariff.

For the future, a mechanism is being secured whereby detailed individual portfolios of examination data will be made available to HEIs for use in populating the HESA Student Record.

The awarding bodies have given their consent, via the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), for some of the results data that they forward to UCAS to be shared with HEIs for admission purposes, to also be used in preparing the Student Record from 2007/08. The detail of the agreement is still to be finalised.

A number of data items will thus be included on the UCAS *J transaction for entrants through UCAS who hold recent UK qualifications. The following five data items are therefore included on the Qualifications on entry entity:

The HESA record will work to the existing UCAS coding frame.

Institutions are required to include on the Student Record this information as supplied by UCAS. This detailed level of examination data is not required for other {non-UCAS} entrants.

In this way more flexible analysis of qualifications on entry data for UCAS entrants will be possible for HESA and its statutory data users.

FTE reporting

The new record specification is more prescriptive about the approach to reporting student FTE in cases where the academic year is not coincident with the HESA reporting year. Specific guidance differs for different parts of the UK. Full details are contained in the specification of Instance.STULOAD.

In the case of years of programme which span two HESA reporting years (for example an MSc student with a 01 October - 30 September year) institutions in England, Wales and NI have to apportion the FTE between the two HESA reporting years. This is referred to as the pro rata or 50:50 method, although it should be noted that 50:50 indicates a pro rata split of FTE, and not an even split of FTE across years.

Institutions in England, Wales and NI who previously did not return student load using the pro rata method should return the 2007-08 record as if they had always used this method. This will mean that for institutions who previously used the 100:0 method some students, when considered over the whole instance, will have more FTE returned than they actually studied. The converse will be true for those who previously used the 0:100 method. This approach is being adopted in order to minimise the disruption caused by the change in method and ensure that the transitional period is kept to a minimum. Some institutions have expressed concerns about changed reporting methods potentially affecting funding. However Statutory Customers were all involved in the review of the record and the Funding Councils are aware of the implications of the changed approach to reporting student FTE and will manage this change. As part of this exercise, in order to inform transition, information has been collected from HEIs on which method of FTE reporting is currently used.

HEFCE have indicated that the same approach to FTE will apply to the 2007 HESES return. HEFCE recognise that in changing methods it is likely that some institutions will have problems with the re-creation of their HESES data based on the HESA record for 2007-08 and will take steps to minimise the impact of this on the re-creation exercise for that year. Notwithstanding these steps HEFCE expect to have to consider a number of cases on their individual merits.

Detail of student load against HESA reporting year is collected in Instance.STULOAD. Institutions in England, if they wish, can additionally return the detail of student load against years of instance in Instance.LOADYRA and Instance.LOADYRB and StudentOnModule.MODYR. This in order to dispense with certain approximations used by HEFCE in recreating the HESES returns. The teaching funding model counts students for funding according to years of instance, which may differ from HESA reporting years. In moving to a single pro rata method of reporting FTE, for a student on the second year of a non-standard academic year, there is a need to estimate that part of the second year load attributable to the first year of instance. The two new fields, FTE in year A and B, remove the need for this estimation, if institutions wish to do so. So, if the overall load for the second HESA reporting year is 0.5, with 0.3 in year of instance 1 and 0.2 in year of instance 2, then this can be reported accurately and will be used to refine the calculation. Whilst acknowledging that such reporting is complex and labour intensive, it is an option; alternatively, the approximations will be used. In many cases this will make little difference. If institutions do opt to provide the additional information, then the fields Instance.LOADYRA, Instance.LOADYRB and StudentOnModule.MODYR must be completed for all student instances in the record. HEFCE advises that provision of the additional information is only likely to make a significant difference for institutions with high numbers of student instances with non-standard academic years and where these numbers are changing substantially year on year or the intensity of study or cost centre mix changes over the duration of the programme.

Continuing students

The Entry Profile and Qualification on Entry entities are only compulsory when a new instance is created. HESA will rely on HIN linkage to link data from these entities to the Instance in subsequent years. Since the Entry Profile contains fields that describe information at the beginning of the Instance, the information should not change in subsequent years, unless to correct identified errors or to provide previously unknown values.

HIN processing

As a result of the need for robust HIN linking (see Continuing students above) several changes to the HIN processing are required:

  • Broken HIN links must be restored / missing HINs must be submitted.
  • A dormant record is required in the first year that the student becomes dormant following a period of active study.
  • NUMHUS becomes compulsory for FE students so that entry profile data can be linked to instances for continuing students.

The HIN validation rules will check whether an instance that was ‘live’ last year can be found in the incoming data. The rules also check whether an incoming instance which commenced (according to Instance.COMDATE) prior to the reporting period links back to an instance submitted in a previous return. Instances in the incoming data for which there is no link to an instance submitted in a previous return must include entry profile data. Additionally where an incoming instance can be linked to an instance submitted in a previous return, the HIN validation rules will check that there is no change to the data that is expected to stay the same from one year to the next.

Parental education

HESA received significant contributions from institutions concerned about this issue. The final decision of Statutory Customers was that this information will be collected from institutions in England and Scotland as a part of the entry profile. It applies to all UK domiciled students on courses with a course aim of first degree, foundation degree, HND, HNC, Dip HE and Cert HE. Details of this field can be found in the relevant specification.

Motivation for part-time study

HESA received significant contributions from institutions on this issue. Following the second consultation exercise, and representation from HESA Board, it has been agreed not to include collection of motivation for part-time study in the Student Record. This will continue to be collected as part of the DLHE survey.

UCAS application identifiers

Changes in the UCAS application systems mean that the old nine digit application number is being phased out in favour of an applicant number and an application identifier. The new specification provides space for these identifiers on the Student and Entry Profile instances respectively.

Reduced returns

The specification of individual fields now explicitly refers to the extra coverage conditions relating to reduced returns. There is no fundamental change to the principle of reduced returns, but the logic is now explicitly stated in the documentation.

New information requirements

Some changes from 2006/07 to 2007/08 are because information previously collected may now be collected in a different way. For example, Qualification Aim becomes COURSEAIM on the Course entity and TTCID is now split into separate fields on the Course and Instance entities. There is also a number of new fields as a result of new information requirements. These new information requirements are listed below for each entity. In some cases institutions will need to collect new information. In other cases institutions will already hold the information but may need to review the flow of information within the institution, for example, from departments to the centre. There are benefits in having many users using HESA data as a source (for example, RCs, TDA) but there may be a cost in changing how information is managed within institutions.

     Institution

     Student

     Instance

     Course

     Entry Profile

     Student on Module

     Module

Information no longer required

There are a number of fields from the 2006/07 student record specification which have not been included in the new 2007/08 specification. Some of the deletions between 2006/07 and 2007/08 are because information is no longer required. Others, however, arise from the fact that information may now be collected in a different way. The deleted fields are listed below.

     Fields deleted because information is no longer required

  • AWDBODY1 , Awarding body 1
  • UFIPLACE , University for Industry (UFI) place
  • FRNCHACT , Collaboration/Franchising
  • FEEBAND , Fee Band
  • Module record: MODLEN , Module length

     Fields deleted because information is collected by other fields within the record

     Fields deleted because number of qualifications and tariff points are no longer collected

  • GCEASN , Number of GCE AS level
  • GCEASTS , Tariff score for GCE AS level
  • VCEASN , Number of VCE AS level
  • VCEASTS , Tariff score for VCE AS level
  • GCEAN , Number of GCE A level
  • GCEATS , Tariff score for GCE A level
  • VCEAN , Number of VCE A level
  • VCEATS , Tariff score for VCE A level
  • KSQN , Number of key skills qualification
  • KSQTS , Tariff score for key skills qualification
  • UKSAN , Number of 1-unit key skills award
  • UKSATS , Tariff score for 1-unit key skills award
  • SAHN , Number of Scottish Advanced Higher
  • SAHTS , Tariff score for Scottish Advanced Higher
  • SHN , Number of Scottish Higher
  • SHTS , Tariff score for Scottish Higher
  • SI2N , Number of Scottish Intermediate 2
  • SI2TS , Tariff score for Scottish Intermediate 2
  • SSGCN , Number of Scottish Standard Grade Credit
  • SSGCTS , Tariff score for Scottish Standard Grade Credit
  • SCSN , Number of Scottish Core Skills
  • SCSTS , Tariff score for Scottish Core Skills
  • AEAN , Number of Advanced Extension Awards
  • AENTS , Tariff score for Advanced Extension Awards
  • TOTALTS , Total tariff score
  • CACHEN , Number of CACHE qualifications
  • CACHETS , Tariff score for CACHE qualifications
  • BTECN , Number of BTEC National
  • BTECTS , Tariff score for BTEC National
  • IBTS , Tariff score for International Baccalaureate
  • ILCTS , Tariff score for Irish Leaving Certificate
  • MDPATS , Tariff score for Music, Drama, Performing Arts

     Fields deleted because current status is 'Not used'

  • LASTINST
  • QUALENT1
  • QSTAT
  • ALEVPTS
  • HIGHPTS
  • FINYM
  • VLEVEL
  • TARUNIT
  • PRIMLG
  • ST12
  • STFEES
  • ISTDY
  • ALEVELS
  • HIGHERS
  • VOCQUALS
  • ALEVSBJ
  • NURSREF
  • ADDID
  • Module record: VLEVEL
  • Module record: GLHRS

     Fields deleted because XML does not need repeat fields

  • QUAL2 , Qualification obtained 2
  • SBJQA2 , Subject of qualification aim 2
  • SBJQA3 , Subject of qualification aim 3
  • AWDBODY2 , Awarding body 2
  • TQSSUB2 , Teaching qualification sought subject 2
  • TQSSUB3 , Teaching qualification sought subject 3
  • TQGSUB2 , Teaching qualification gained subject 2
  • TQGSUB3 , Teaching qualification gained subject 3
  • TINST2 , Other institution providing teaching 2
  • CPOBTN1 , Tariff score for key skills qualification
  • LEVLCRD1 , Level of credit points obtained 1
  • CREDIT2 , Credit value of year of programme 2
  • LEVLCRD2 , Level of credit 2
  • CPOBTN2 , Number of credit points obtained 2
  • LCPOBTN2 , Level of credit points obtained 2
  • COSTCN02 , Cost centre 2
  • SBJ02 , Subject area of study 2
  • SBJPER02 , Proportion of subject 2
  • COSTCN03 , Cost centre 3
  • SBJ03 , Subject area of study 3
  • SBJPER03 , Proportion of subject 3
  • COSTCN04 , Cost centre 4
  • SBJ04 , Subject area of study 4
  • SBJPER04 , Proportion of subject 4
  • COSTCN05 , Cost centre 5
  • SBJ05 , Subject area of study 5
  • SBJPER05 , Proportion of subject 5
  • COSTCN06 , Cost centre 6
  • SBJ06 , Subject area of study 6
  • SBJPER06 , Proportion of subject 6
  • COSTCN07 , Cost centre 7
  • SBJ07 , Subject area of study 7
  • SBJPER07 , Proportion of subject 7
  • COSTCN08 , Cost centre 8
  • SBJ08 , Subject area of study 8
  • SBJPER08 , Proportion of subject 8
  • COSTCN09 , Cost centre 9
  • SBJ09 , Subject area of study 9
  • SBJPER09 , Proportion of subject 9
  • COSTCN10 , Cost centre 10
  • SBJ10 , Subject area of study 10
  • SBJPER10 , Proportion of subject 10
  • COSTCN11 , Cost centre 11
  • SBJ11 , Subject area of study 11
  • SBJPER11 , Proportion of subject 11
  • COSTCN12 , Cost centre 12
  • SBJ12 , Subject area of study 12
  • SBJPER12 , Proportion of subject 12
  • COSTCN13 , Cost centre 13
  • SBJ13 , Subject area of study 13
  • SBJPER13 , Proportion of subject 13
  • COSTCN14 , Cost centre 14
  • SBJ14 , Subject area of study 14
  • SBJPER14 , Proportion of subject 14
  • COSTCN15 , Cost centre 15
  • SBJ15 , Subject area of study 15
  • SBJPER15 , Proportion of subject 15
  • COSTCN16 , Cost centre 16
  • SBJ16 , Subject area of study 16
  • SBJPER16 , Proportion of subject 16
  • CREDIT3 , Credit value of year of programme 3
  • CREDIT4 , Credit value of year of programme 4
  • LEVLCRD3 , Level of credit 3
  • LEVLCRD4 , Level of credit 4
  • CPOBTN3 , Number of credit points obtained 3
  • CPOBTN4 , Number of credit points obtained 4
  • LCPOBTN3 , Level of credit points obtained 3
  • LCPOBTN4 , Level of credit points obtained 4
  • Student record: NATIOND2 , National identity 2
Contact Institutional Liaison: liaison@hesa.ac.uk, tel 01242 211144