Dear All,
(which I am and have been aware includes various compilers of league tables and HESA in addition to colleagues in planning roles in institutions)
[P.S. You can tell I'm not at work by the way I've allowed myself to go on - I'm sharing it all as I do think it's important that we have an open discussion on this. You might want to get a cup of tea though.]
I would second much of what Sally has said here. My first commitment in these cases is to the rule of law, but with my second being to the improvement of student experience, the protective practices of league table compiles (not just the CUG, which is the current crucible) means that these two things come into close conflict. I, and I think most of us, would wish to respect the rights of others to protect intellectual property; but just as some of us will push the boundaries of what's allowed under specific terms and conditions, there also appears to me to be a pushing of the boundaries on the part of compilers as to what is really 'intellectual property'. Some of what I see seems to me to be over-protection of IP - trying to protect things that aren't IP and/or 'protecting' them from things that would not cause harm.
My first reaction is to want to work with the claimants to IPR to resolve uncertainties, but that is much easier said than done from my position. Compilers of league tables do not want to have bi-lateral discussions with every institution, and I can understand why not (it would simply be unwieldy) - However, the reaction to this of each compiler having a 'group' that seems to many to be secretive and unrepresentative swings too far, for me, in the other direction. I know Sally is (and a few others are) working hard to improve communication between compilers and the sector, and planners in particular. However, progress is for me, and I think others, frustratingly slow. I would (and I guess am) throw down the gauntlet to compilers to be more pro-active in communicating with the sector. The HESPA day conference on league tables was a good start, but things seem to have retreated from the discussions opened there.
I would wish to ask the compilers directly, but I can't as I'm not in any of their clubs, just what they consider to be their IP. So I leave this as an open, indirect, question here to any who wish to answer it; Which of the following do you consider to be part of your IP?
Dear All,
As I committed to do, I have spoken to Bernard Kingston (CUG Chairman) about sharing Excel versions of the tables for us to use for briefing purposes. He has declined to do so, citing all the reasons I mentioned before. He also reminded
me that the Guide has a ten-day period during which amendments may be made (and no doubt some of you will be in conversation with CUG seeking changes to your data), so any Excel version circulated now could not be guaranteed as definitive anyway. (The CUG
Protocol for handling corrections and queries is here:
www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/higher-and-further-education-staff/league-table-background-and-inclusion-criteria/protocol-for-handling-queries-and-corrections-to-the-league-tables/.)
Personal use as a private individual only is defined in the CUG's Terms and Conditions, which can be viewed here:
www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/.
Bernard has reiterated that, if people want to use the data for research purposes, they should contact CUG for permission. He cannot recall CUG ever refusing to grant permission for this type of use.
Our case for additional access to the data has not been helped by the messages implying that Ray's code is being used by others for business and professional purposes. Bernard has asked me to pass on his frustration and disappointment
at this development and to remind everyone that it is not acceptable under CUG’s Terms and Conditions, which assert its IP rights.
Although it is not what we would like, we do need to acknowledge the reality that we are operating in an increasingly competitive, commercial environment and tasks such as briefing senior managers, that we might see as simple information
sharing, do actually influence onward decision-making and, therefore, arguably, have a commercial outcome.
I am committed to developing and maintaining good relationships between the sector and league table compilers through HESPA and I know that Bernard shares that objective. I would be more than happy to hear from colleagues with ideas
on how we might take forward such issues in a constructive way.
Best wishes,
Sally
Sally Turnbull
|
Corporate Strategy Manager
|
Adelphi Building, room AB035|
University of Central Lancashire
| Preston | PR1 2HE | t: 01772 892398 | e:
[log in to unmask] | www.uclan.ac.uk
From: Academic, financial or space planning in UK universities [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Lashley, Ray
Sent: 25 April 2016 12:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Complete University Guide 2017
As always, working alone means something gets through the testing!
In this case, the list of available subjects on the 'Subject Table' sheet was missing 'Accounting & Finance' because the validation range was set incorrectly [long story
omitted]. I've corrected the source version, but you can just as easily update your own copy by selecting 'Subject Table'!A1 and selecting from the menu Data > Validation... and change the Criteria to Subjects!A3:A99 (not A4:A99).
Ray
From: Lashley, Ray
Sent: 25 April 2016 10:07:18
To: Academic, financial or space planning in UK universities
Subject: Complete University Guide 2017
Good Morning!
Here's an empty spreadsheet, devoid of all data but containing some custom functions:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1niJuwcGnuS3rtDVkPBudxEaYLNSrjjmpAHFGYoBxvbM/edit?usp=sharing
If you open this document you probably won't be able to do anything at first, you need to sign in to Google:
(click and follow instructions)
Once you're signed in, go to the file menu and select 'Make a copy...' to create a copy you can edit.
Now enter the url for the CUG into cell B1 on the 'Subjects' sheet (http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings)
and the subjects, main table and one subject table should populate in a few seconds. You can select other subjects as required.
Being a Google thing, this probably works better in a Chrome browser, though it should be okay in others.
(There's a hidden sheet with a 'get all subjects' function that's almost working - if anyone fixes it, please share or let me know)
Of course, any use of the CUG data is still bound by the terms and conditions imposed by the provider, in so far as they are applicable in law.
Please don't send any questions or comments on this to my essex.ac.uk email address, as I'm not there this week and this isn't official work anyway. If
you do wish to make contact, please use
[log in to unmask].
Happy investigating!
Ray