News and insight

New open data release reveals the highest ever number of students starting postgraduate courses

HESA publishes the HE Student data 2016/17 on Thursday 8 February 2018. As one of our most anticipated annual products, we know its vital to make the data accessible, useful, and of the highest quality. And now, it is also free of charge. Jonathan Waller, HESA’s Director of Information & Analysis, provides an update on the new format of this data and its important place in HESA’s Open Data Strategy.

In 2016/17 90% of UK domicile young entrants to full-time first degree courses came from state schools. Figures for individual HE providers ranged from 44.1% to 100%.

  Open data licence: CC-BY-4.0

Today the Office for Students has confirmed that HESA is the right organisation to perform the duties of the Designated body for English higher education information.  In a letter to the Secretary of State, the OfS officially recommends that HESA is designated as the data body in England.

The first release of HESA’s official staff data for 2016/17 shows an increase in total staff numbers in higher education and an increase in the proportions of female professors and senior academics.

  Open data licence: CC-BY-4.0

Recently our Director of Data Policy & Governance, Andy Youell, joined forces with UCAS to film a video about the implementation of HECoS, what it means for different organisations, and the resources available to support providers with this transition.

The first release of HESA’s official student enrolment data for 2016/17 shows an increase in the number of students in higher education, a decline in part-time students, and over a quarter of first degree graduates gaining a first.

  Open data licence: CC-BY-4.0

HESA and Jisc have developed an agreement with both The Guardian and The Times/Sunday Times to publish interactive dashboards of rankings and measures drawn from their higher education league tables.

OFFA (Office for Fair Access) has commissioned HESA and CFE Research to research the facilitators and barriers to part-time study, particularly amongst those from disadvantaged backgrounds, following a decline in the number of students enrolling onto part-time study. HESA Analytical Solutions Specialist, Matt Clarke, outlines the project and its key phases below.

As part of the Graduate Outcomes release on the 5^th December, we published a range of templates to support providers with their communication activities around the new survey. It has come to our attention that an update is required to all versions of the ‘Promotional design 1: Be part of the picture’ A5 flyer. We have now uploaded the new version onto the website.