Dennis & colleagues,
The background to this was described in my letter to Vice-Chancellors
and Principals of 13 January - text is given below.
Brian
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13 January 2000
Dear Colleague
Q-Check qualifications checking service
I am writing to alert you to the fact that, during the coming week, a
new qualifications checking service will be launched which will draw
partly on HESA data. HESA has been encouraged by both CVCP and SCOP to
participate in this service, and we have done so in such a way as to
ensure that individual confidentiality and the provisions of the Data
Protection Act are fully observed. The service will be launched at a
press conference at Woburn House on Tuesday next, at which Lord Dearing
will be the main speaker.
The service, which will be operated by Q-Check Direct Limited in
partnership with Experian, will enable employers to seek confirmation
of the claimed qualifications of applicants for jobs, but only in the
circumstance that the individual gives signed consent for his/her record
to be interrogated. In the event that the system is unable to confirm a
claimed qualification, it will not be assumed that the qualification is
being incorrectly claimed, merely that the data is unavailable, in which
case it will be for the employer to decide whether to approach the HE
institution for confirmation.
The HESA Board hopes that this service will not only reduce the demands
made on institutions by employers seeking confirmation of
qualifications, but will also benefit the honest graduates who make up
the large majority.
Yours sincerely,
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>----------
>From: Dennis Barrington-Light[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: 17 January 2000 10:50
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Experian, HESA and verifying degrees.
>
>
>
>I see from the Telegraph today that a company called Experian are offering
>employers a service to check degree qualifications in conjunction with HESA.
>Does anyone know about this? How will it work? Are they going to use HESA
>data to provide this check? If so how does this square with the Data
>Protection Act? In my view the data has been proved for statistical purposes
>only and to use it for another purpose would require consent. If HESA data
>is
>to be used I am also not clear what will happen if an HEI failed to include a
>qualification awarded in a HESA return by mistake and, as a result, the
>student failed to get a job - who would be liable?
>
>Dennis Barrington-Light
>Head of Student Records and Statistics
>University of Cambridge, 10 Peas Hill, Cambridge CB2 3PN
>Tel: 01223-332303 (Direct line) Fax: 01223-331200
Email: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
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