HEFCE’s dealings with London Metropolitan University

Timeline of events

Documents and records of other communications can be viewed below, listed by date. An overview of events is on the main LMU page.

2007

Date: 15-16 Mar 2007

Format: Report

From/To: HEFCE Assurance Service Audit report
Description: HESES05 audit (looking at actual data from 2005-06). HEFCE data auditor on site for two days.
View item: Download the D2009_28582 as PDF (3,328 KB)

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Date: 21 Mar 2007

Format: Meeting

From/To: Steve Egan (HEFCE) meeting with LMU
Description: Steve Egan met with LMU. An internal e-mail from Steve notes that this included a discussion on partial completion and data audit. It was noted that the University was concerned about being 'over audited', but Steve said this was a consequence of our risk-based approach. As soon as our audits proved fruitless we would stop.
View item: Download the D2009_28019 as PDF (1,664 KB)

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Date: 4 Apr 2007

Format: Letter

From/To: Assurance 3 (HEFCE) to Brian Roper (LMU)
Description: HESES05 audit letter to VC identifying main issues found in the audit. The letter notes that the classification of students in the HESA data as either completions or non-completions was found to be inaccurate. It goes on to request that the mode of attendance and completion status for all students is re-assessed and the proposed changes discussed with HEFCE’s Analytical Services Group by the end of May 2007 before being submitted to HESA for 2005-06.
View item: Download the D2009_28035 as PDF (436 KB)

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Date: 14 May 2007

Format: Report

From/To: Assurance 3 (HEFCE) to Brian Roper (LMU)
Description: HESES05 Non-completion review Final Report.
View item: Download the D2009_28022 as PDF (3,622 KB)

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Date: May-Jun 2007

Format: E-mail

From/To: E-mail exchange between colleagues in ASG (HEFCE) and primarily LMU 1 (LMU)
Description: HEFCE contacted LMU to 'Request that you re-submit your institution's action and implementation plan to detail the changes you intend to make to the HESA student record together with all other explanations regarding the difference between your HESES05 re-creation and HESES05' by the end of May.
Although the University responded in a letter outlining the areas of data that they had reviewed, there was no mention of any changes nor any Action Plan. See 6 June 2007.

View item: Download the D2009_28028 as PDF (1,098 KB)

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Date: 6 Jun 2007

Format: Letter

From/To: Brian Roper (LMU) to Assurance 3 (HEFCE)
Description: VC replies to 4 April 2007 letter (re HESES05 Non-completion review) and lists areas of data reviewed but makes no reference to any intended changes to HESA05-6 data.
View item: Download the D2009_28683 as PDF (327 KB)

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Date: Jun 2007

Format: E-mail

From/To: E-mail exchange between colleagues in ASG (HEFCE) and primarily LMU 1 (LMU)
Description: Reporting continued difficulty in getting responses to HESA data changes and action plan. This e-mail exchange confirms that the University has reported that the VC has instructed LMU 1 that there must be no comment or interface with HEFCE regarding this issue.
View item: Download the D2009_28028 as PDF (1,098 KB)

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Date: 25 Jun 2007

Format: E-mail

From/To: E-mail exchange between colleagues in ASG, Assurance, Institutional team (HEFCE) and Brian Roper and LMU 1 (LMU)
Description: A copy of the letter to Brian Roper (informing him that HEFCE would be pursuing amendments to HESA 2005-06 data through the University's data/planning office) is sent via e-mail to Brian Roper and the planning office.
View item: Download the D2009_28029 as PDF (2,147 KB)

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Date: July-Aug 2007

Format: E-mail

From/To: Internal e-mail exchanges between colleagues in ASG and Derek Hicks (HEFCE)
Description: Reporting continued difficulty in getting responses to HESA-HESES reconciliation data changes and action plan. HEFCE Regional Consultant to contact VC.
View item: Download the D2009_28036 as PDF (624 KB)

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Date: Oct 2007

Format: E-mail

From/To: Exchanges between ASG 4 (HEFCE) and HESA 1 (HEA) as well as exchanges with Chris Topley (DVC LMU) cc Robert Aylett (LMU)
Description: E-mail exchange about late submission of HESA06-07 individualised student data to HESA.
View item: Download the D2009_28038 as PDF (898 KB)

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Date: 8 Oct 2007

Format: E-mail

From/To: LMU 1 (LMU) to Derek Hicks (HEFCE) and internal exchanges within ASG (HEFCE)
Description: Stating that 'I'm advised you needn't route everything through the VC's office but may instead liaise with Chris Topley, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) or in his absence Pam Nelson, the Director of Finance'.
View item: Download the D2009_28040 as PDF (319 KB)

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Date: Oct-Nov 2007

Format: E-mail

From/To: Internal e-mail exchanges between colleagues in ASG, Assurance and Institutional teams (HEFCE) as well as between Assurance 3 (HEFCE) and Chris Topley (LMU)
Description: Various internal e-mail exchanges about the 2005-06 reconciliation exercise and 2006-07 individualised student data submission.
View item: Download the D2009_28042 as PDF (1,849 KB)

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Date: 17 Oct 2007

Format: Meeting

From/To: Assurance 3 (HEFCE) and Chris Topley (LMU)
Description: Informal meeting to discuss the ongoing data issues.
View item: Download the D2009_28583 as PDF (1,169 KB)

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Date: 25 Oct 2007

Format: Meeting

From/To: HEFCE and LMU
Description: General meeting with senior management team at LMU. HEFCE emphasised the need to deal with the data issues.
View item: Download the D2009_28067 as PDF (294 KB)

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Date: 23-25 Oct 2007

Format: E-mail

From/To: Exchange between Assurance 3 (HEFCE) , Chris Topley (LMU), Assurance 2 (HEFCE) and ASG colleagues (HEFCE)
Description: E-mail exchanges about the need to complete the 2006-07 HESA individualised student data return by the end of October.
View item: Download the D2009_28069 as PDF (1,564 KB)

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Date: 30 Oct 2007

Format: Meeting and letter

From/To: ASG 4 and LMU staff
Description: Various exchanges (meeting and letter) primarily relating to the 2006-07 HESA individualised student data record.
View item: Download the D2009_30097 as PDF (1,288 KB)

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Date: 9 & 14 Nov 2007

Format: E-mails and letters

From/To: ASG 4 (HEFCE), Ray Smith, LMU 1 (LMU)
Description: Various exchanges (e-mail and letters) primarily relating to the 2006-07 HESA individualised student data record and suggestions for algorithms that would provide more realistic non-completion information for the 2006-07 HESA and HESES07 returns.
View item: Download the D2009_28074 as PDF (1,163 KB)

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Date: 6 Dec 2007

Format: Letter

From/To: From Derek Hicks (HEFCE) to LMU 1 (LMU), copied to Brian Roper
Description: Follows meeting on 5 December 2007 to discuss issues around HESES and HESA data. Differences remained between University’s practice and HEFCE's definition re non-completions. To make progress, an action plan was agreed.
View item: Download the D2009_28084 as PDF (835 KB)

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Date: 7 Dec 2007

Format: Letter

From/To: From ASG 1 (HEFCE) to LMU 1 (LMU)
Description: An additional letter is sent, following the University's concerns regarding previous 'compliance' with HEFCE 'audits/reviews' in 2003-4 and 2004-5. The letter revisits the issues identified in those audits.
View item: Download the D2009_28088 as PDF (786 KB)

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Date: Dec 2007 - Jan 2008

Format: HESES submission

From/To: LMU 1 (LMU) to INS 1 (HEFCE)
Description: Submission of HESES07. This indicated holdback £3,125,053, which would have been offset in-year by moderation funding. However, HEFCE never accepted that the HESES07 data as submitted were sufficiently reliable to use for funding purposes. FT UG non-completion rate reported as 4 per cent.
View item: Download the D2009_28095 as PDF (5,477 KB)

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