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15 March 2007 HEFCE logo
To  Heads of HEFCE-funded higher education institutions
Heads of HEFCE-funded further education colleges
Heads of universities in Northern Ireland
Direct Line 0117 931 7300
Direct Fax 0117 931 7203

Circular letter number 08/2007

For further information contact Louisa Baker, tel 0117 931 7106, e-mail l.baker@hefce.ac.uk

Dear Vice-Chancellor or Principal

Development of TQI and the NSS: outcomes of consultation

1.   This letter summarises responses to our consultation on developing Teaching Quality Information (TQI) and the National Student Survey (NSS). It also sets out the decisions made by the TQI/NSS Steering Group, which will be implemented on the re-launched TQI site in summer 2007. We believe that the changes will greatly enhance the value of the site in helping potential students and their advisers choose what and where to study. No action is required by institutions in response to this letter.

2.   In November 2006 we sought views on our plans and proposals for TQI and the NSS (see Circular letter 23/2006). This followed the review of the Quality Assurance Framework (HEFCE 2006/45), which recommended that the TQI web-site should focus more on the needs of applicants to higher education and their advisers.

Decisions by the steering group

3.   Overall, our main proposals received support from the sector. The following decisions are therefore broadly in line with the proposals in the consultation document:

  1. The TQI site will present data at level 3 in the subject hierarchy of the Joint Academic Coding System (JACS). However, we are developing more detailed data at course level, which will be incorporated at the earliest opportunity.
  2. Subject to user testing, details of cohort sizes and response rates to the NSS will be reported alongside the data.
  3. Subject to user testing, the summary of key data and the student profile data described in the consultation will be developed for inclusion on the site in summer 2007.
  4. In principle, the group decided that the NSS and the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey should be extended to include directly funded higher education (HE) students in further education colleges (FECs). In addition, a protocol will be developed for partner institutions to consult on the institutional commentary on these data, to be included on the TQI web-site.

4.   However, in relation to other proposals, views were mixed and some respondents argued that we should implement changes in a different way. We wish to explore these issues further, to see how we might adapt our approach to address these concerns where possible. The steering group therefore decided:

  1. Given the complex nature of the relationships between higher education institutions and FECs, to delay taking a decision on how data about directly funded students of HE in FECs can be presented on the TQI site until 2008.
  2. To seek advice from the Equality Challenge Unit on the possibility of displaying additional contextual data on students at an institution including, for example, students' ethnicity, the proportion with disabilities, and the percentages from areas with low rates of participation in higher education. The group was concerned about how or whether these data could support potential students making choices about what and where to study.
  3. To seek advice from an expert statistical group on what the threshold for responses to the NSS should be, in order for the results to be included on the TQI web-site. Notwithstanding this decision, the survey will continue to aim for a 50 per cent response rate for each institution and subject combination.
  4. Where data are not available at JACS level 3 using one year's results, to develop and test various options for aggregating data, by subject or across years, or both.

5.   More detailed analysis of the consultation responses is in Annex A.

The NSS and NHS-funded provision

6.   Since our consultation, Skills for Health (the Sector Skills Council for healthcare) and the Department of Health have decided to take part in the NSS. The process for surveying and presenting results for students funded by the NHS is in Annex B.

Re-launch of the TQI web-site

7.   We have commissioned UCAS, the admissions service for universities and colleges, to design a more user-focused web-site, in line with the recommendations by the Quality Assurance Framework Review Group. The site will be re-launched in early August 2007 with a new 'brand' and 'identity' and will provide all institutions with new facilities to review quantitative data before publication, add commentaries on the data, add links back to the institution's own web-site, and allow the institution to monitor usage of the future site.

8.   UCAS will be getting in touch with the institutional contacts who responded to Annex B of Circular letter HEFCE 2006/23 shortly.

9.   The outcomes of this consultation and the Quality Assurance Framework review are now being implemented, with UCAS re-developing the TQI web-site to meet the needs of potential students and their advisers. We intend to continue reviewing the site to ensure it meets its key objective of supporting potential students and their advisers in choosing what and where to study.

Yours sincerely

Professor David Eastwood
Chief Executive

Download

Annex A

[ MS Word 87K | Zipped Word 19K | Adobe PDF 49K | Zipped PDF 36K ]

Annex B

[ MS Word 66K | Zipped Word 15K | Adobe PDF 61K | Zipped PDF 53K ]