Hi,

This is indeed a quiet list.

Last I heard from REF/HEFCE (at the ARMA conference at the beginning of
June), they are planning to reduce the "research environment" metrics from
what was used in RAE '08 to just the data on research student completions and
research income, and to capture this data from our HESA returns.

When the idea of using HESA data was first mooted, REF/HEFCE indicated that
there was a mismatch between REF UoAs and HESA cost codes. They were
proposing at that time to ask HESA to change its cost codes to more closely
match the UoAs. However, I now understand that HEFCE now plan, probably
through the data submission system (to be launched in final format in early
2013), to return our HESA data to us for checking and to be reassigned by us
to our UoAs, as Charles suggests, though another change REF propose to make
is to staff categories, by comparison to RAE, and that will break the link
between staff being submitted and the metrics data. So, in short, we can
submit income earned and student completions related to non-submitted staff.

The older data already held by HESA can be made available as soon as the data
collection system goes live, but there will be a problem with data covering
the period to 31 July 2013, which we would need to return to HESA and for REF
to collect it from HESA to send back to us for us to sort out and submit
before 30 November 2013 ... so a proposal is that the final year's data is
uploaded by us directly to the submission system (as well as submitting it to
HESA).

I would guess that anything not returned to HESA (as in the research income
example put forward by Charles) cannot be submitted.

Of course, rules and regs which will help with all of this will be out
towards the end of July ...

Oh, and to answer the question. I am sure we will review our HESA data in
advance, but exactly how and to what end I am not sure.

Best wishes

Tim Brooks.


***********************************
Dr Tim Brooks
Research Policy & Planning Manager
Strategic Planning
External and Strategic Development Services
University of East London
London E16 2RD
Tel: (020) 8223 2421
Fax: (020) 8223 3394

Email: [log in to unmask]
 Before you print think about the environment. 




> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list on the implications of the REF [mailto:REF-
> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Charles Christacopoulos
> Sent: 28 June 2011 17:26
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: HESA data and REF
>
> Ellie James wrote:
> > Dear colleagues,
> >
> > As it is looking increasingly likely that the REF is going to utilise
> > HESA data for research income and students, I'd be interested to know
> if
> > other Universities are doing anything in advance to review their HESA
> > data, particularly regarding the new cost centres.
> >
> > Obviously I will treat your response as confidential, and I'd be
> happy
> > to produce an overall summary of the responses for this group.
>
> Hi,
>
> So quiet on this list.
>
> I think "worry" and bite our nails is all we can do. The REF can use
> any data it wants to use. However, the reality is that we must be
> allowed to reallocate the data to follow the staff to where the staff
> are being returned. Not where they were or might have been returned in
> 2008, and even less so to the subject classification (HESA Cost
> Centres)
> to which they may belong.
>
> Simple really but wait and see ... only a few weeks of nail biting
> left.
>
> Cheers
> Charles
>
> PS. And then ... what about the data (e.g. finance) which could be
> included under the RAE but were not returned to HESA as research ...
> and
> on it goes.
>
>
> --
> Charles Christacopoulos, Management Information Officer,
> Strategic Information Management, ICS, University of Dundee,
> Dundee, DD1 4HN, Scotland, United Kingdom.
> t: 44(0)1382-384891 w: www.somis.dundee.ac.uk
>
> The University of Dundee is a Scottish Registered Charity, No.
> SC015096.