CEOs Report 29 September 2010
CEO's Report for HESA Board
Wednesday 29 September 2010, HESA, 95 Promenade, Cheltenham
1. Update on current developments
Benchmarking for Efficiency Project
HESA was commissioned by HEFCE to investigate the extent of benchmarking activity in the sector and develop a programme that would increase capacity and best practice in the use of benchmarking to achieve increased efficiency in operations. This work has been funded through the Modernisation fund and Phase 1 comprising a status report with seven recommendations to improve benchmarking has just been completed (once signed off by HEFCE it will be available on the HESA web site). The HESA HE User Group has provided a steer for the work so far and the investigation of benchmarking activity being undertaken has been largely based on input from the represented organisations. The recommendations, concerned with leadership, the availability of tools and data (including further development of heidi) and the sharing of good practice, form the framework for Phase 2 work. The project proposal for Phase 2 is currently being developed and it is intended this will report into the UUK task group for Efficiencies and Modernisation. This will provide a national profile for the project and ensure the intended outcomes benefit the sector widely.
heidi Development
Development of heidi 4 is currently underway. This follows a major review of its usability undertaken with the support of the heidi User Group to identify how we might improve the user interface and its functionality. The Advisory Group also provided a clear steer that increasing the data that could be accessed was a priority and the Benchmarking project described above has further highlighted this need for increased data. As a result it is intended that this will be delivered in this next release of heidi due next spring. Whenever possible we continue to increase the range of datasets through heidi and have most recently added library statistics made available through SCONUL from their annual data collection exercise.
We have recently gone through a resubscription process which run until 31 July 2011. As of 21 September 2010 84% of higher education institutions are subscribed to heidi.
DLHE Good Practice project
HESA applied to and were awarded HEFCE LGM funding in order to carry out a project whereby through exchanging information about good practice, it is intended that institutional response rates for the HESA Destinations of Leavers in HE (DLHE) survey will improve.
Based on our experience and findings from two workshops and two case studies, HESA wrote and published a 'Good Practice' training manual designed to act as a comprehensive guide to completing DLHE and ensure consistency of reporting. The manual was supported through the launch of a new online support centre offering the project findings in a more usable and accessible manner. HESA ran a ‘Good Practice' seminar for the DLHE community at large, with the objective of disseminating the majority of the project findings in time to be adopted for the next data collection cycle. The seminar, support centre, and manual received excellent feedback from the 120 delegates who attended the launch seminar.
MIAP/HESA Pilot project
This pilot investigation researches data management issues relevant to possible data exchange with the Learning Records Service (LRS) by the HE sector based around the Unique Learner Number (ULN) and record of prior qualifications known as the Personal Learners Record (PLR).
Stage One of the pilot has now been completed - to track the movement and integrity of learner data into, through and out of the HE sector. The exercise required desktop review plus interaction with data subjects and both source and destination organisations. The report will be published on the HESA website at the end of September.
A bid has recently been submitted for a Second Stage of this project. It is envisaged that this exercise will be a data modelling exercise to explore the impact of the Personal Learning Record (PLR) on a mapped information flow for managing the HE student lifecycle. The aim of this stage of work is to identify potential rationalisation that could lead to efficiencies and improvements in data management.
General Social Care Council (GSCC) / General Teaching Council for England (GTCE)
There have been recent announcements of the planned closure of the General Social Care Council and the General Teaching Council for England for whom we undertake statutory registration functions. The relevant Government departments are not indicating any alternative arrangements in advance of the CSR on 20 October. We remain in close contact with these organisations and are monitoring the environment closely.
Private Providers
We continue to monitor developments around the provision of higher education by the private sector and have held discussions with interested parties about information requirements and potential policy development in this area. We have held a meeting with the British Accreditation Council who are one of the key players in the sector and are trying to establish contact with ASIC (The Accreditation Service for International Colleges). We are also exploring the relationship between QAA and private providers - specifically those with degree awarding powers - to better understand the regulatory issues around this.
iPhone App - UK HE Stats (from the Apple App Store)
HESA launched its first mobile device application for the iPhone on 27 July. The app gives 2008-09 figures for students, staff and finances at UK, country and institution level plus % change from 2007 to 2008 (around 6,000 figures in all). As of 12th September the application had 832 installs and has received a lot of positive feedback. It was developed in-house at minimal cost. We intend to keep it updated with more recent data as it becomes available. At the same time we made this data available via a mobile website (m.hesa.ac.uk) which can be used on any mobile device. We are considering making native versions of this application for other devices.
IRIS
IRIS is a system that connects the HESA data collection system with analysis systems at HEFCE. It allows institutions to see funding analyses generated by HEFCE every time they submit data to HESA. It is a significant development in the data quality assurance processes and initial responses from institutions are very positive. HEFCW are planning to implement a similar interface for the 2010/11 collection and SFC have also indicated a desire to implement the system.
2. Engagement
HE Better Regulation Group update and Survey of data requests
HESA is a member of the HE Better Regulation group, which was launched in June. We are working closely with an initiative being undertaken by HE-BRG to investigate the extent of interaction between HEIs and Professional, Regulatory and Statutory Bodies. Using these findings HESA is carrying out a survey of requests for data from HEIs made by PRSBs and other organisations. AHUA and their membership are sponsoring this survey and we are being supported by UCISA through their development of the survey tool and the involvement of their members. We hope to have preliminary findings available to report to the planned HE-BRG conference at the start of December. We will also be reviewing the Concordat as it pertains to data collections and the role of HESA.
Training update
The programme for 2009/10 comprised of 25 seminar events; attracting 1,145 delegates. In addition 22 institutional visits took place. In total over 1400 person days of training were delivered in 2009/10; this compares with 1,126 days in 2008/09. The HESA training programme continues to receive excellent feedback.
The 2010/11 programme has now been published with 30 seminars being scheduled covering the Student, Staff, DLHE and EMS Records, as well as heidi. The HESA Services Board has previously considered the likely impact of the current financial climate on sustaining such training programme volume, however early indications show the value placed in this area as the programme already has 340 delegates subscribed within the first two weeks of taking bookings.
HE in FECs/FE in HEIs
Relationship building with both the Data Service and the Information Authority continues; a particularly useful meeting held in May involving the heads of these organisations has previously been reported on. Discussion regarding the formal agreement governing a data feed of HE in FECs data from the Data Service to HESA is ongoing. The funding of FE in HEIs is to be aligned with the formula funding of FE in FECs. This ambition raises once again the issue of appropriate data collection arrangements to meet the requirements of various data users and data collators. A first cross-Agency liaison meeting took place in Coventry on 6 September, with representatives from HESA, the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA), the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), the information authority (IA), Ofsted and the Data Service (DS). This session proved useful in introducing colleagues, opening communication channels and reviewing current areas of shared interest, including, for instance FE colleagues making better use of HESA data.
International Interest
A HESA representative was invited to attend a two-day strategic workshop in Strasbourg on 14-15 September entitled "Addressing the shortage of data on the Social Sciences and Humanities". This was organised and hosted by the European Science Foundation and included attendees from a number of international organisations such as OECD, Eurostat, National Science Foundation, UNESCO, International Social Science Council, ESRC, as well as a number of leading academics in the field. Jonathan Waller attended on behalf of HESA and gave a presentation on the collection and availability of research data in the UK and associated research data developments such as EXRI and CERIF. This was a useful opportunity to develop international contacts as well as providing insights into the strategic interests of the research community.
There have also had recent visits from a delegation from Saudi Arabia and South Korea organised by the British Council, with enthusiastic feedback on the processes HESA runs.
We have also been in discussion with organisations that have international links, including commercial consultancies, given that they are in a position to provide information about HESA as appropriate.
Sector Agency Collaborations/Shared services
Under the auspices of UUK discussions have taken place with the other Sector Agencies to seek opportunities for shared services to improve efficiency. Several prospects are being explored where we have common needs including the possibility of sharing "contacts" data.
3. Update on current data collections
Initial Teacher Training In-Year Collection
The functionality for the 2010/11 Initial Teacher Training In-year collection has been enhanced to include feedback to institutions of the Teacher Reference Numbers allocated by GTCE to trainees as part of Provisional Registration. This enhancement is designed to assist with tracking of student trainees through the system.
Staff Record 2008/09
A review of this data stream has now been launched, for implementation in the 2012/13 reporting period. As part of the initial scoping phase, a strategic 'think tank' has recently been held, involving a range of sector organisations with an interest in staff data. Proposals for change to the Staff Record will be presented to Board in May 2011.
Finance Statistics Return with HE - Business and Community Interaction Survey (FSR with HE-BCI)
HESA is working with Funding Councils to rationalise collection of financial information, in order to reduce the burden on institutions, and also reduce the cross-checking of various information sources currently undertaken by HESA.
(Early) Destinations of Leavers from HE DLHE
Proposals from the current fundamental review of DLHE are currently out for sector consultation, with the ensuing changes to be implemented in 2011/12. DLHE recommendations will be presented to the December Board meeting.
Longitudinal Destinations of Leavers from HE (LDLHE)
A third LDLHE survey is taking place in 2010/11, based on a sample of 2006/07 leavers. IFF Research Ltd is now liaising with institutions to collect contact details for those in the sample, and fieldwork will begin in November.
Estates Management Statistics (EMS)
Access to EMS data for HEIs will be through heidi (HESA's online management information system), providing both the functionality hitherto available to institutions and also integration with other data available already through heidi. Discussions are still ongoing as to how access to this data will be provided to others. By agreement with AUDE and the funding councils no substantive changes will be made to the content of the EMS collection during the first three years that HESA collects the data (2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12). However a record review is proposed in Spring 2011, after one collection cycle, for implementation in 2012/13.
The EMS will be collected for the first time by HESA in New Year 2011. Extensive user training is being provided by HESA in November to ensure institutions are familiar with the new data collection arrangements.
Cost Centres
HESA is planning to review the cost centre classification used across the student, staff and finance data streams, to ensure that it is fit for purpose. This review will include assessment of the potential for aligning cost centres, or at least make mapping possible, to the newly announced REF Units of Assessment. Any changes will be implemented in 2012/13, across all data streams, even if this does not coincide with other record review changes.
4. Governance
HESA Strategy and Delivery Plan 2010-2014
HESA has been developing a new Strategy 2010-2014 and has consulted with its key stakeholders during its development, as well as staff and Board members. A Delivery Plan to identify priorities and actions required to achieve the outcomes and targets has also been constructed. It is intended that the Strategy will be published and widely disseminated shortly after the Board meeting.
Internal Process Review
HESA has been undertaking a broad ranging process review covering its project structures, change control and testing, technical services and internal communications. This is intended to improve both efficiency and effectiveness in the way we work and it is clear that we will be able to make changes that allow us to re-focus and prioritise our efforts to better effect. The implementation plan for improvements that have been identified has still to be developed and there will be some short-term gains and other improvements that will require investment and a longer timescale to achieve.
Alison Allden
Chief Executive
