Miriam Firth, associate director for employability and professional learning lecturer in education at The University of Manchester, discusses graduate outcomes and the university's Good SEED Graduate Awards
At a recent Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) conference I presented on the challenges and changes brought about with the new Graduate Outcomes survey (GO). The new survey moves the graduate destination data collection from 6 months to 15 months.
This extended period of time between graduation and survey should ensure that graduates are in a more permanent or settled position, therefore showing a more accurate representation of where graduates transition to. However, the delay in surveying graduates also adds pressure on universities to maintain contact with their graduates as well as have clearer insights into where they want to transition to.
This article aims to offer guidance to colleagues in UK higher education on how to maintain contact legally, ethically and in support and guidance of their students' transitions into graduate life.
GDPR and keeping in touch
In May 2018, the UK established new general data protection regulations (GDPR). This legislation establishes control of how people can contact and share personal identifying information. This is significant in mind of the new GO, as all universities are required to hand over contact details of their graduates to HESA in order for HESA to conduct the survey. Whilst studying, students use university email addresses and have to maintain correct contact details so that the university can confirm exam results. Once graduated, however, universities no longer support their email addresses and are not allowed to use their details to contact them or share these with other parties.
There are four cohorts of collection for the new GO which can be found on the HESA site. The earliest of these finished in August 2017 and the final date for contact details to be sent to HESA is November 2019. As these cohorts pan the time in which GDPR is implemented, universities in the UK have to maintain standards and adhere to changing legislation throughout all data collection and communication to HESA.
As GDPR is based on individual consent, rather than opting out, universities should ask all students before graduation if they are happy for their details to be kept by their university and shared to HESA to be used for GO. As GO is a new survey, this consent is given for an unknown survey which students may not be aware of. HESA have created clear marketing and communications for universities to use, but students will not be aware of how this informs the Key Information Statistics to market their undergraduate course.
By requesting student consent before graduation with clear details on what their information will be used for, universities can maintain contact and adhere to UK law. The difficulty for universities will be those students included in the earlier cohorts who may have left before universities had gained consent.
Understanding students transitions into graduate life
In mind of the upcoming GO I initiated a new survey with all students enrolled at Manchester University in order to establish their current and future career prospects. This survey questioned students' current level of experience (volunteer to management roles), career support required (queries straight to the careers department), and graduate ambitions.
This induction survey supports institutional strategy as well as informs employability and career initiatives. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students are surveyed so the survey can provide an insight into all student career experience and ambitions. The Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey (DLHE) offers us data on where students traditionally move to after graduation from undergraduate studies, but this survey identifies where all students are planning on transitioning to.
With more detail on student career experience and ambitions, we are now able to tailor career support for all students in a proactive manner. The DLHE enabled reactive strategy and initiatives, but as this is designed to support data on programmes, rather than inform teaching and learning, our new survey is both supportive of current students' studies and developmental in support of our students preferred graduate destinations.
The Good SEED Graduate Awards
Students at university are nominated and awarded for their academic development and extra-curricular roles. From student union clubs to research prizes, universities in the UK proactively praise students during their studies. On the other hand, alumni are often only asked to give back and are only recognised once they complete significant societal roles or outstanding research.
As such, The University of Manchester has created the Good SEED Graduate Award, in recognition and celebration of the work its alumni continue to complete. Participants are requested to submit a portfolio of work they have completed as an alumnus, relating to any of the following activities:
- attendance at one of the university's 'Meet the Professionals' events
- attendance at an open day
- being an alumni ambassador
- delivering a guest lecture
- offering placements, internships or work experience to current students
- offering support to one of the university's societies
- supporting research in their school by participating or advising researchers on-site
- writing a career testimonial.
The list above showcases the variety of support alumni give back to their university. The first Good SEED awards evening will be hosted in July 2019 and a number of applications have already been received, showcasing commitment and support to the university.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of HECSU/Prospects
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