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University of Reading

New 'Graduate Outcomes' survey to replace DLHE

Wednesday, 13 December 2017

New Graduate Outcomes survey

In June 2017 the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) announced that the current Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey will be replaced by a new Graduate Outcomes survey. 

The current DLHE survey of 2016/17 leavers will be the last, with the final release of data for this cohort expected in June/July 2018. Currently, we expect League Table compilers to utilise the 2016/17 DLHE for their next two releases until the new Graduate Outcomes data will become available.

All students leaving university from August 2017 onwards will be contacted by Graduate Outcomes, around 15 months after graduation, replacing the current 6-month and 3-year DLHE. Additional information (such as salary) will be collected via linked data from external sources (HMRC, DWP and others). The first Graduate Outcomes data will be released January 2020.

A centralised provider will be appointed by HESA to run Graduate Outcomes and to centrally collect employment outcomes. Universities will no longer be able to collect and submit this information themselves. 

HESA plan to develop a campaign timeline specifying the methods the provider will utilise to contact leavers. As part of this, it is anticipated that institutions will be asked to conduct an email campaign mid-way through the collection period targeted at non-respondents. As with the current DLHE process, it is recommended that this follow-up comes from a contact within the relevant School/Department.

Institutions will be allowed to engage in additional promotional activity to enhance response rates, and HESA intend to provide templates to facilitate such activity. To further aid with the promotion and recognition of the survey amongst students/Leavers, HESA will be implementing a new brand (including survey logo and branded materials). 

A Steering Group, chaired by Orla Kennedy, T&L Dean, has been set up to manage the transition from DLHE to Graduate Outcomes. We will update all staff in the spring when HESA are expected to name the successful external provider to run the survey and we will have further information on implications of this change for the University. 

For further information, please visit the HESA website. Contact Andrea Kreideweiss, Director of Careers and Employability, with any questions.