Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education record 2012/13
Guidance notes for the online survey
Version 1.0 Produced 2014-02-28
Centrally-hosted online DLHE survey
The centrally-hosted online DLHE survey is a web-based implementation of the standard DLHE questionnaire. It has as far as is possible validation checks built into the questionnaire to ensure that core questions are answered and the response is internally consistent. The centrally-hosted online DLHE questionnaire is also available in the Welsh language for graduates from institutions in Wales. Use of this online version is entirely optional, but higher education institutions (HEIs) are encouraged to make it available. HEIs will need to subscribe to the survey system to make this method available to their graduates.
HEIs can download the responses from their leavers through the HESA data collection interface (submit.hesa.ac.uk). These responses will need to be SOC coded and then incorporated with the rest of the HEI's data submission. A description of the Online DLHE File layout can be viewed here.
Use of the centrally-hosted online DLHE survey by graduates
Leavers should be directed to www.dlhe.ac.uk using the standard email texts, available in both English and Welsh.
The first screen will be a language selection screen (English or Welsh). If the English language is selected, a map of the UK - split by country and region - will be displayed. From this map a list of HEIs in each region that are using the system will be displayed - the graduate should select the HEI from which they have graduated.
If the Welsh language is selected, a list of the HEIs in Wales that are using the system will be displayed - the leaver should select the HEI from which they have graduated.
The next stage will be for the leaver to enter their personal details: name, address, email address, title of course from which they graduated and, if specified by the HEI, a student identifier and/or PIN number (see below). Once complete, the leaver will then work through the standard questionnaire until they are instructed to 'Submit' their questionnaire.
By-passing the HEI and language selection
HEIs may link directly to the personal details page by using a web-reference in the form www.dlhe.ac.uk?INST=xxxx, where xxxx is the HESA institution identifier. If the institution identifier is that of an HEI in Wales the graduate will be directed to the language selection page and then the personal details page. If the HEI is not in Wales the graduate will be directed to the personal details page and the questionnaire will be presented in English.
Alternatively, HEIs may link directly to Section A of the survey by using a web-reference in the form www.dlhe.ac.uk?INST=xxxx&studentID=yyyy, where xxxx is the HESA institution identifier and yyyy is the own student's identifier. If the institution identifier is that of a HEI in Wales the graduate will be directed to the language selection page and then Section A. If the HEI is not in Wales the graduate will be directed to Section A and the questionnaire will be presented in English.
Use of the centrally-hosted online DLHE survey by HEIs
HEIs who intend to subscribe to the centrally-hosted online DLHE survey will need to configure the control panel. Configuration of the system for each institution is via a simple control panel, accessed through the HESA data collection interface (submit.hesa.ac.uk). The control panel opens three weeks prior to the start of the 'Initial contact' period. For the April 2013 survey, the date the panel will open is Thursday 29 March 2013, three weeks prior to the start of the 'Contact' period which commences on 15 April 2013. For the January 2014 survey, the panel will open Wednesday 24 October 2013, three weeks prior to the 'Contact' period which commences on 11 November 2013. Access codes will be sent to institutions prior to the control panel opening.
There are five sections to the control panel:
- A section to indicate whether or not the HEI wishes to be included in this service.
- A section to indictate whether or not the HEI offers Teacher Training.
- A section to indicate whether or not a student identifier question is included on the personal details screen.
- A section to indicate whether or not a PIN question is included on the personal details screen.
- A section allowing a HEI to re-label the student identifier label - it is acknowledged HEIs use a variety of names for the student identifier.
Only those institutions that use the control panel to indicate their use of this service will be shown on the institution selection page used by graduates.
The student identifier and PIN fields can be used by HEIs to aid the matching of responses to the DLHE target population list. For both of these fields their completion can be defined as mandatory, optional, or not used. If mandatory or optional are selected then the length of the fields can be specified and validated by the system. The student identifier can be specified up to 20 characters, and the PIN can be specified up to ten characters in length. If no length is specified then any length (up to the maximum lengths) will be allowed by the system.
Below is a picture of the Control Panel.
The control panel is locked on the day the system opens; HEIs that have not subscribed and configured the system by that time will be unable to use the centrally-hosted online DLHE system for that survey.
When can graduates use the centrally-hosted online DLHE questionnaire?
For the April 2013 survey, the centrally-hosted online DLHE questionnaire system opens on the first day of 'Contact' period, i.e. 15 April 2013. It will remain open until the end of the normal data capture period, which is 25 June 2013.
For the January 2014 survey the centrally-hosted online DLHE questionnaire system opens on the first day of 'Contact' period, i.e. 11 November 2013. It will remain open until the end of the normal data capture period, which is 08 March 2014.
Please note that the online survey will open at 09:00 on the first day of the initial contact period.
Support for HEIs and graduates
HESA will provide support to institutions during normal office hours. Please therefore contact the Agency's Institutional Liaison team at HESA or email [email protected]. The first line of support for graduates should be the relevant HEI.
Contact Liaison by email or on +44 (0)1242 388 531.