Data intelligence

From 2015/16 to 2017/18 The University of Cambridge returned undergraduate students as achieving course end reason “Completion of course - result unknown” with no qualification. For 2018/19 a qualification has been entered in order to close these historical records off. This has caused a sizeable increase in the number of other undergraduate qualifications achieved from 2017/18 to 2018/19.

In 2013/14, The University of West London had a significant reduction in the number of part-time other undergraduate qualifications awarded, from 1095 in 2012/13 to 345 in 2013/14.  This was largely due to the award offered for post-registration nursing courses changing from an award to credits.

In 2013/14, University of Ulster had a significant reduction in the number of part-time other undergraduate qualifiers, from 1,495 in 2012/13 to 685 in 2013/14.This was mainly due to the cessation of a part-time certificate in Credit Union Studies.

In 2013/14, SRUC had a significant increase to their full-time other undergraduate qualifiers, from 90 in 2012/13 to 435 in 2013/14.  This was due to the merger of the former Barony, Elmwood and Oatridge Colleges and SAC to form SRUC.

In 2017/18, The University of Law saw a significant increase in its other undergraduate student numbers on designated courses with course aim (H60) Graduate diploma/certificate at level H (an increase of 1480 FPE). This increase is due to coverage changes of the Alternative Provider Student record. In previous years, students on a graduate Law conversion course with this course aim were excluded from HESA data as they were considered to be on a postgraduate course for coverage purposes.

Liverpool Hope University incorrectly returned their Other works waste mass recycled (t) for 2015/16. The accurate data entry is 118.330 tonnes.

In 2015/16, The University of Central Lancashire incorrectly reported entry qualifications for overseas students, this affects both Undergraduate and Postgraduate taught students and has the effect of understating the prior qualifications of these students.

Until 2013/14, Loughborough University omitted to include overseas validated provision in their Aggregate Offshore data return. This issue has now been rectified and accounts for the increase from 215 in 2012/13 to 1930 in 2013/14.

In 2013/14, St George's Hospital Medical School improved their data capture for academic atypical staff contracts, increasing the numbers in this category from 10 in 2012/13 to 375 in 2013/14. In previous years they have not collected data from these staff.

In 2013/14, Kingston University reviewed how they classified their hourly paid lecturers and external examiners from non-atypical to atypical. This increased the numbers of academic atypical staff FTE from 0 in 2012/13 to 130 in 2013/14.

In 2013/14, Cardiff University increased their part-time academic staff (excluding atypical) from 825 in 2012/13 to 1,150 in 2013/14. This was due to including student demonstrators in their staff return for the first time.

In 2014/15, the University of Birmingham gave term-time only part-time contracts to former atypical staff. This increased the academic part-time numbers for 2014/15 by 390.

In 2014/15, the University of Stirling had a notable reduction in part-time academic staff (from 650 in 2013/14 to 400 in 2014/15). This reduction was due to a change in how the university’s system managed an extended contract, rather than an actual reduction in staff numbers.

In 2009/10, the University of Cambridge adopted a new system of recording its part-time continuing education students. Students who declared from the outset that they did not intend to study for credit could be identified and excluded from the HESA Student record. The result is a decrease (3,815 to 1,115) in the provider's part-time undergraduate student numbers.

In 2016/17, University for the Creative Arts saw a significant increase in its part-time first degree student numbers (1230 FPE). This increase is due to the merger with Open College of the Arts. These students predominately fall into the Creative arts and design subject area.

The University of Kent discontinued their partnership with the Institute of Financial Services leading to a reduction in the number of their part-time foundation students (540).

Coventry University saw a considerable increase of part-time, other undergraduate and full-time first degree instances in 2011/12. These increases are attributed to a rise in recruitment to Employer Engagement Programmes and targeted recruitment in specific subject areas.

Coventry University has had a 86% (1195) increase in qualifications awarded at part-time other undergraduate level. This is largely due to the awards successfully achieved as part of planned growth within the Co-funded Employer Engagement suite of programmes.

The University of Hull has had a notable reduction in part-time other undergraduate students. This is due to the significant drop in activity on the University Foundation Award programme short course provision. 2012/13 is the last year that this was run. The numbers of students on these programmes has reduced from 4,125 in 2011/12 to 545 in 2012/2013.

The University of Liverpool has had a significant reduction (1720) in their part-time other undergraduate students. In 2012/13 these students were from a programme with an unspecified qualification aim and for this reason should not be included under HEFCE guidance.

Coventry University has had a significant decrease (4090) in part-time other undergraduate student numbers due to a drop in their co-funded provision. Coventry inform us that ‘Recruitment in this area is drawing to a close and significant decreases such as this are to be expected’.

The University of Bradford has had a significant drop (790) in their first year part-time other undergraduate student numbers in 2012/13. This reflects the phasing out of their partnership with Craven College and the closure of their School of Lifelong Learning and Development

Coventry University has had a 25% (220) reduction in part-time postgraduate taught qualifications awarded, which is largely due to the revision of our suite of management courses. The challenging economic climate has dictated that training budgets have not been able to support recruitment in this area for currently employed students seeking to enhance their career.

In 2014/15, the University of Warwick moved 1540 part-time postgraduate taught overseas students registered on a Distance Learning MBA programme from the student record to the aggregate offshore record. Such students would have been included in the student record in previous years, and this will now show a large downward shift in the instance numbers within the part-time postgraduate taught population. These students studied by distance learning, are domiciled overseas, and therefore do not fall within the coverage of the student return.

From 2015/16 onwards, the University of Oxford changed the way that it awarded credit to students on some part–time courses, this caused a reduction in the number of students it reports to HESA.

In 2008/09, The Queen's University of Belfast misreported 280 part-time UK domicile students as non-European Union domicile.

In 2013/14, the HE sector has seen a significant reduction in part-time student numbers: 54,805 (8%). 91% (49,835) of these were undergraduate students.

This pattern also continues with qualifications awarded in 2013/14, with a 21,910 (12%) reduction in part-time qualifications awarded. For other undergraduate qualifiers this was a significantly higher proportion, a 27% (16,695) reduction.

The Open University – undergraduates
The Open University has had significant reductions in undergraduate student numbers, particularly in England due to the continuing impact of the new funding regime for part-time undergraduate students introduced in 2012/13. This affects all categories of undergraduate students, but the impact is greater for other undergraduate students than for first degree students.

The Open University – undergraduate qualifiers
The Open University has had a drop in other undergraduate qualifications awarded. This reflects a restructuring of the undergraduate curriculum and changes to the qualification registration process in 2012/13, and the withdrawal of many undergraduate certificates and diplomas, along with an overall drop in student numbers, in particular in England following funding regime changes for part-time undergraduate students in 2012/13.

Coventry University has also seen a significant decrease in their part-time other undergraduate awards which are down by 82% (2,735), their decline has particularly been seen in their employer engagement programmes.

In 2013/14, Coventry University had a significant decrease in students  (57%, 2,205 students) studying part-time, other undergraduate programmes. This is due to a significant change in the portfolio of part-time undergraduate level courses on offer, following a review of existing short CPD programmes at a partner provider and the end of the co-funded employer engagement programmes.