128 questions, 204 responses: Towards a brand #NewDLHE
Today marks the next key stage in the destinations and outcomes review. We have published the synthesis of consultation responses as well as the reports of two research projects, commissioned by HEFCE to support the review.
We received over 200 responses to the consultation in total, which is a record high for a HESA consultation of this nature. We are extremely appreciative of the engagement we have received.
We received over 200 responses to the consultation in total, which is a record high for a HESA consultation of this nature. This is especially impressive in the context of the number of questions being asked (128 in total). We are extremely appreciative of the engagement we have received, which has provided an excellent basis to take into the design phase of the review.
The detailed explanation of what the consultation responses showed can be found in the consultation synthesis document.
Read the consultation synthesis document
Here I will just pull out some particular areas of interest.
Data linking
Overwhelmingly respondents stated that we do still need a survey to gain contextual information about what graduates have gone on to do.
One of the four aims of the review is to support legislation. This includes the Small Business Enterprise and Employment (SBEE) Act which allows for linking of HMRC/DWP data with education data, and can therefore provide graduate’s salary information. We asked in the consultation whether we should be utilising this, and other forms of linked data. The vast majority of responses stated that we should be using this linked data to avoid asking graduates for information we can obtain from other sources.
With the potential of using this linked data, we asked in the consultation whether we still needed to survey graduates or whether we could get sufficient information through linked data. Overwhelmingly respondents stated that we do still need a survey to gain contextual information about what graduates have gone on to do. There was also consensus that this would need to remain a census survey, as opposed to using samples of graduates for this contextual information.
Survey topics
There was a great deal of consensus in the areas we should retain and that we should supplement these with some additional measures of graduate outcomes
Similarly, when asking about the high-level areas we should be looking into, there was a great deal of consensus in the areas we should retain and that we should supplement these with some additional measures of graduate outcomes. A robust data source is needed to present the range of information on graduate outcomes that matter to students and other data users, alongside salary.
It was proposed that we keep areas such as activity, employment, further study, questions on regulated professions (such as teaching) and a graduate’s ‘preparedness’ for future activity. The types of additional measures proposed, such as skills or net promoter score, had more mixed responses – we’ll need to work with the review groups to decide whether these will be incorporated in the design.
Survey timing and centralisation
Questions around when and how the survey is run received more mixed responses.
Unsurprisingly, not all issues were as unanimously agreed upon as these. Questions around when and how the survey is run received more mixed responses.
The consultation asked questions about whether there should be one or more surveys of graduate destinations. Respondents were generally in favour of one survey point, however just over a third of respondents indicated that they would prefer multiple surveys. This makes us question whether a single survey point would meet the user requirements, something which we are exploring with the review groups.
The majority of responses were in favour of moving away from the current six-month survey point.
Similarly, the question of when to survey graduates received a range of responses. Respondents raised points in favour of a range of different survey timings. However, the majority of responses were in favour of moving away from the current six-month survey point, to somewhere between 12 and 18 months, in order to allow graduates time to enter or progress in their career path.
As well as the timing of the survey, the consultation asked questions on methods of running the survey. Respondents were asked to consider whether a centralised methodology could provide more robust results, by increasing consistency in the data collection. The responses received to this were mixed, with marginally more respondents in favour of moving to a central system, and many respondents making detailed points in support of their position. We will be exploring this further with the review groups, to inform decisions in this area, and to ensure we create the kind of robust data source that can be used for high-profile public information purposes.
Commissioned research reports
We’ll be using these research reports along with the detailed findings from the consultation to design the model for the replacement to DLHE.
The two research reports also published today were commissioned by HESA to support the review, with generous support from HEFCE. CFE Research’s report on ‘What do good outcomes from HE look like’ considers what good outcomes are for a range of groups, including students and graduates, higher education providers, employers and society/the state. Warwick Institute for Employment Research’s report on ‘Richer information on student views’ was run through focus groups, where students and graduates were asked to consider what they wanted to gain from HE, particularly focusing on career and personal development.
We’ll be using these research reports along with the detailed findings from the consultation to design the model for the replacement to DLHE with the review groups (information about the membership of these groups and their meeting papers are available here). Towards the end of this year we’ll be opening the second consultation to allow for your feedback on the proposal we're developing. We’ll then be using these responses to finalise the business case and implementation plan.
Join the conversation on Twitter using #NewDLHE
'Towards a brand #NewDLHE': @Rachel_Hewitt_ looks at the responses to our consultation on graduate destinations.
