What Is the Graduate Outcomes Survey and What Does It Mean for Higher Education?
The improvement of higher education is a continuous process that is impacted by feedback and investment.
Perhaps one of the biggest drivers for change is student feedback, and that's where the Graduate Outcomes Survey comes in. Read this blog post to find out more about the Graduate Outcomes Survey, what it is and how it impacts higher education institutions.
What Is the Graduate Outcomes Survey?
Conducted by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the Graduate Outcomes Survey is a national survey that collects data surrounding the experiences, learnings and outcomes of students who have graduated from higher education institutions.
It exists as a means to understand UK graduates' perspectives and current status. It gives current and future students insight into opportunities and career development and provides higher education bodies a chance to evaluate and evolve based on the feedback given.
The key features of the Graduate Outcomes Survey are:
All students who have completed eligible higher education courses are invited to participate, and it’s usually conducted online for convenience.
It’s usually conducted around 15 months after a student’s graduation to allow time for career and education outcomes to become clear.
The data collected paints a nationwide, institutional and course-specific picture to be valuable for all involved.
This data is publicly reported and accessible to future students, parents, institutions and policymakers.
The survey helps identify trends and changes in employment and education patterns over long periods.
It also offers career insights for graduates, providing valuable information for the workplace.
What Information Does the Survey Capture?
The Graduate Outcomes Survey captures a wide range of information to provide value for all stakeholders. Although the categories and questions may change yearly, the overall goal is to accurately represent higher education outcomes and career opportunities.
The survey assesses:
Current employment status.
Job roles.
Salary and earnings.
Any further education or training.
Geographical location.
Job satisfaction.
Application of skills and knowledge.
Disability and diversity.
Prior educational background.
Personal wellbeing.
Employer information.
Self-employment.
Specific course feedback.
Demographic data.
What Is the Significance of the Graduate Outcomes Survey?
As the survey findings are publicly available, higher education institutions can assess and quantify the feedback into improvements for their courses, learning outcomes and reputation.
Universities and colleges can use the data to assess the quality and effectiveness of their courses and how they impact the preparation of students for life post-education. These findings can be developed into curriculum enhancements, impacting accreditation, rankings and future student enrolment.
The information also provides a way to engage with students past and present. It presents the opportunity to stay connected with alumni who can provide ongoing support and insights for current students. The survey is also a powerful tool for attracting prospective students and bolstering student retention.
Higher education institutions can also use the information to benchmark their performance against averages and make data-informed decisions towards strategic planning for their course development and offering. For example, the higher education institution could build or enhance its post-graduate offering if the survey reveals that many students went into post-graduate studies.
Finally, the Graduate Outcomes Survey fosters a culture of continuous improvement for higher education institutions, which benefits the institutions themselves, their students and wider society. It allows higher education to adapt to changing demands, provide a better experience and enhance the employability of its graduates.
For Students
Although past students are the ones providing insight, the survey can still offer many benefits for past, present and future students.
Primarily, it helps prospective students make informed decisions about their programme and provider selection. Current students can also gain insight about a future in the workplace, guided by real-life experiences of people in a similar position to them.
Finally, it provides an opportunity for students to give feedback to institutions so they can accept accountability and make provisions for changes to learning based on the feedback, enhancing education and career services for future learners.
Using the Graduate Outcomes Survey for Higher Education Development
The Graduate Outcomes Survey offers the opportunity to access a vast array of insights to help improve higher education in the UK. While it allows past students to give feedback and have their opinions heard, higher education institutions and future students stand to gain valuable information to help make informed decisions.
As higher education professionals, you should not only be aware of the Graduate Outcomes Survey but actively look to encourage participation and pay close attention to the insights gathered.
Although not every graduate’s experience will be positive, detailed feedback can help build strategic decisions to impact your institution's performance, student retention and learning outcomes in the future.
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