Data intelligence

The baseline and other Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions reporting units are inconsistent within EMR. University of Leicester have misreported the units in which Scope 1 and 2 carbon emission baseline for 2005 is measured in the 2012/13 - 2014/15 EMR returns. This field was returned in kilograms instead of in tonnes.

Kingston University have misreported their Scope 1 and 2 carbon emission baseline for 2005 figure in the 2014/15 EMR return. The corrected figure for this field is: 12,873.

The University of West London have misreported the units in which Scope 1 and 2 carbon emission baseline for 2005 is measured in the 2014/15 EMR return. This field was returned in kilograms instead of in tonnes. The figure should have been reported as 5,551 Tonnes CO2e.

The figure submitted to HESA for 2014-15 was incorrect for University College London. The actual reduction target for University College London should be 34%. The error was caused by adding together the targets of University College London and the Institute of Education (34% and 45% respectively) after a merger. Subsequently University College London has adopted a revised carbon reduction target of 15% beginning in 2015-16.

For the years 2012/13 to 2018/19 Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine stated Total scope 1 and 2 emission baseline for 2005 as 83,228,000.000. This field was returned in kilograms CO2e instead of in tonnes CO2e.The figure should have been 83,228.000 tonnes CO2e.

University of Leicester have misreported the units in which Scope 1 and 2 carbon emission baseline for 2005 is measured in the 2012/13 - 2014/15 Estates Management record returns. This field was returned in kilograms instead of in tonnes.

The University of Brighton misreported values for scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions. Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions was reported as 10.873 tCO2e but should be 10,873.00 tCO2e.

University of South Wales reported incorrect values related to Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions vehicles petrol (E12CEVPE) and for Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions natural gas (E12CENGAS). This is due to data for the whole provider being unavailable at the time of collection. The data provided relates to estates vehicles only.

In 2021/22, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh noted that the values provided in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions and total renewable energy generated onsite or offsite are significantly different to those supplied historically. In 2020/21 carbon emissions biomass was reported at 58,450.216 kg CO2e, in 2021/22 this significantly decreased to 22.755 kg CO2e. In 2020/21 biomass energy consumption was reported at 3,863,200.000 kWh, in 2021/22 this significantly decreased to 2,161.000 kWh due to biomass being phased out.

In 2016/17, The University of the Arts, London overrode the value for E12CET - Total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions to reflect a zero emissions electricity contract introduced in April 2017. Following the data submission, DEFRA guidance confirmed that providers must account for all electricity purchased for own consumption irrespective of the source of the electricity. Under this guidance, the correct value for E12CET - Total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions is 8,414,825,556.
 

The published value for E12CEGE - Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions grid electricity was auto-calculated by HESA and is consistent with this DEFRA guidance.

The University of the Arts London has noted that the values automatically calculated by HESA recorded in the 2012/13 – 2016/17 Estates Management record returns for E12CESHW - Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions steam and hot water are incorrect due to the provider sharing a CHP district heating system for which they do not incur any carbon emissions. The correct value is zero.

The provider has confirmed that in each of these returns the E12CET - Total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions value has been overridden to include the correct value for E12CESHW.

In 2013/14, The University of Leicester reported that 88% of their Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions steam and hot water (E12CESHW) consumption comes from an external CHP supplier who normally use an alternative carbon emissions conversion factor of 0.1600 to that used for the Estates Management return (0.24406).

The calculated Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions steam and hot water (E12CESHW) emissions by the CHP supplier is 4667642.464, as compared to the Estates Management record figure of 6703641.903.

In 2021/22, London South Bank University saw a notable change in Scope 3 carbon emissions from supply chain construction (E3SCCON), with a value of 250.060 t CO2e in 2021/22. This marked a significant decrease compared to the previous year's figure of 7,950.570 t CO2e, which can be attributed to the completion of a major capital project (London Road Hub). Moreover, the University has conducted a more detailed assessment of their Scope 3 data, contributing to the overall decrease.

In 2021/22, Glasgow School of Art saw changes in Scope 3 carbon emissions from business travel air (E3CEBTA), from 5,518.000 t CO2e in 2020/21 to 2.854 t CO2e in 2021/22, due to a decrease in air travel because of Covid restrictions on travel abroad.

In 2019/20, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine misreported four values relating to scope 3 carbon emissions from business travel (Table 3). Scope 3 carbon emissions from business travel air was reported as 4,712,178.000 but should be 13,739.70 tCO₂e, rail was reported as 546,357.000 but should be 518.02 tCO₂e, leased pool cars was reported as 83,970.000 but should be 81.33 tCO₂e, and coach was reported as 67,375.000 but should be 65.25 tCO₂e.

Brunel University has reported that the following 2012/13 Estates Management record data items were returned incorrectly. The corrected values are shown after each data item:

E3NRCEW - Non-residential scope 3 carbon emissions from waste: 11 tonnes.

E3RCEW - Residential scope 3 carbon emissions from waste: 17 tonnes.

E3CEWT - Total scope 3 carbon emissions from waste: 28 tonnes.

The University of The Arts, London has reported that they have used the 2011 DEFRA conversion factors in error for the calculation of the following 2012/13 Estates Management record data items (when the 2013 DEFRA conversion factors should have been used). The corrected values are shown after each data item:

E3NRCEW - Non-residential scope 3 carbon emissions from waste: 43.967 tonnes.

E3RCEW - Residential scope 3 carbon emissions from waste: 5.231 tonnes.

E3CEWT - Total scope 3 carbon emissions from waste: 48.199 tonnes.

The City University has confirmed that the figures for the following 2012/13 Estates Management record data items are correctly shown as negative, as a result of them operating a zero waste to landfill strategy: E3NRCEW - Non-residential scope 3 carbon emissions from waste; E3CEWT - Total scope 3 carbon emissions from waste. Please also note that they have confirmed that these data items were calculated using 2012 DEFRA conversion factors rather than 2013 DEFRA conversion factors.

University of Wales Trinity Saint David have cofirmed that due to a formatting error in their 2015/16 data, the figures relating to Non-residential scope 3 carbon emissions from waste (E3NRCEW), Residential scope 3 carbon emissions from waste (E3RCEW) and Total scope 3 carbon emissions from waste (E3CEWT) were returned incorrectly. These fields should have been returned as follows:

E3NRCEW - Non-residential scope 3 carbon emissions from waste: 53.650.

E3RCEW - Residential scope 3 carbon emissions from waste: 17.850.

E3CEWT - Total scope 3 carbon emissions from waste: 71.5.

In 2019/20, Aberystwyth University incorrectly reported a number of items of income and expenditure as being separately disclosed material items from the Audited Financial Statement of comprehensive income and expenditure in the Finance record Table 10. The intention had been to draw user’s attention to line items where there had been a significant movement from previous years reported results. However, the items disclosed were not material items that required separate disclosure in the audited financial statements and all the return in Finance record Table 10 should have been nil other than staff costs, which is detailed below.

In 2018/19 and 2019/20, Aberystwyth University included Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension provision movement within Staff Costs in Table 1 without a separate Exceptional item disclosure under table 10 - Separately disclosed material items. The values under table 10, staff costs, should be £18,542k for 2018/19 and (£10,305k) for 2019/20.

In 2018/19 and 2019/20, Bangor University included Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension provision movement within Staff Costs in Table 1 without a separate Exceptional item disclosure under table 10 - Separately disclosed material items. The values under table 10, staff costs, should be £18,158k for 2018/19 and £(11,384k) for 2019/20.

For 2018/19 and 2019/20 Cardiff University omitted to separately disclose material items from the audited financial statement of comprehensive income and expenditure. The separately disclosable items are included within the operating expenditure. The values under table 10, staff costs, should be £92,908k for 2018/19 and £(55,214k) for 2019/20.

In 2018/19 and 2019/20 Glyndŵr University have reported staff costs within separately disclosed material items that represent total Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) contributions. These values are: £2,706k for 2018/19 and £3,237k for 2019/20. Included within these costs are exceptional past service costs representing Guaranteed Minimum Pension and McCloud contributions account for of £625k in 2018/19 and £173k in 2019/20 of staff cost values. This approach aligns with the University Group Financial Statements methodology to clearly show the impact of LGPS as part of the overall University Group Financial Statements and was agreed with the provider’s external auditors.

In 2016/17, Cardiff Metropolitan University omitted severance payment data from Table 13 of the Finance record.  The correct figures are as follows:

3 Aggregate of compensation paid for loss of office to staff earning in excess of £100,000 per annum (Excludes head of provider)
3a Loss of office at the provider

• i Total amount of compensation paid across the whole provider - £778k
• ii Number of people to whom this was payable - 3

In 2014/15 and 2015/16, The Brit College incorrectly reported all their students as male. In both academic years, a mix of sexes were enrolled.

The University of Northampton opened a new campus in 2018/19, replacing two former campuses. Due to this there are notable changes in the provider's Estates Management Record data items relating to buildings and spaces, energy, emissions and waste, and finances relating to energy costs, water and sewerage costs and insurance premiums.

The University of Southampton has miscoded SOC DLHE codes for 44 records and TYPEQUAL for 17 records. This particularly has an impact on the Professional/Non-Professional marker and as a result, any calculations on positive/negative destinations.

In 2022/23, Queen Mary University of London reported increases in ‘Estimated current turnover of all active firms (£000s)’, ‘Estimated external investment received (£000s)’, and ‘Estimated current employment of all active firms (FTE)’ in student start-ups and social enterprises. These increases are attributed to improvements made by the provider in their data recording process for startups and social enterprises over the past year. These enhancements have revealed errors in tracking and reporting this data in the past.

Similarly, London School of Economics and Political Science reported increases in ‘Estimated current turnover of all active firms (£000s)’ and ‘Estimated external investment received (£000s)’ in student start-ups and social enterprises in their 2022/23 return, compared to the previous year. In 2022/23 an in-house survey was developed for reporting the submitted numbers, whereas the data for 2021/22 relied on third-party monitoring.

2a) Public lectures – Academic staff time
In 2010/11 Aston University reported the British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference which was hosted by Aston University, accounting for 60 days’ academic staff time. This conference did not take place in 2011/12.

2c) Exhibitions (galleries, museums etc.) – Attendees
The British Science Festival was held at Aston University in September 2010 and the attendee data relating to this event was reported in the 2010/11 return. This event took place at an alternative venue in 2011, hence the same data was not reported in the 2011/12 return.