What counts in study abroad?

23 June 2009

Mark GittoesHead of Quantitative Analysis for Policy

HEFCE’s use of statistical data

Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency

• Collected for many reasons

• Returned by institutions to HESA at the end of the academic year

• Individualised student record

• Over 200 items collected

• Over 3 million records a year

Student mobility

• Take a cohort of full-time first degree entrants

• Tracked through annual data for five years

• Identified as studying abroad in any particular year

• Categorised into full- or partial- year abroad

Information examined

Examined for all students in starting cohort

• Profile of the students and courses

– Personal characteristics such as sex, age or

background

– Course characteristics such as subject area or

structure of course

• Outcome from the course (e.g. first class honours)

• Destination after graduating

2002/03 profile: type of course

4,360 3,670

16,015

140,455

36,170

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

Erasmus Non-Erasmusstudy abroad

Work placement Other, 3 yearcourse

Other, 4 yearcourse

Nu

mb

er o

f st

ud

ents

Profile: qualifications on entry

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Erasmus Non-Erasmusstudy abroad

Other, 3 yearcourse

Other, 4 yearcourse

Pro

po

rtio

n o

f st

ud

ents

1-120 A-level tariff points 121-240 A-level tariff points

241-360 A-level tariff points Over 360 A-level tariff points

Outcome: degree classification

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Erasmus Non-Erasmusstudy abroad

Other, 3 yearcourse

Other, 4 yearcourse

Pro

po

rtio

n o

f en

tran

ts

Less then upper second Upper second First

Destination: salary after 6 months

£15,000

£16,000

£17,000

£18,000

£19,000

£20,000

£21,000

Erasmus Non-Erasmusstudy abroad

Work placement Other, 3 yearcourse

Other, 4 yearcourse

Ave

rage

sal

ary

Where next?

• Part of work to support the inter-organisational international student mobility working group

• HEFCE issues paper on “study abroad and placement courses” due to be published in Summer 2009

• On-going interest in measuring student mobility