Looking ahead, not looking back: the value of in-year data

The UK higher education sector is operating in a period of unprecedented uncertainty.

Financial pressures continue to intensify. Expectations from students, regulators and government continue to grow. At the same time, domestic and international student markets have become increasingly volatile and less predictable with student and institutional behaviours changing.

As vice-chancellor of UWE Bristol, I know these challenges are not unique to my institution. Across the sector, leaders are being asked to make significant strategic and financial decisions in an environment that is changing more quickly than ever before. In this context plotting institutional direction and course when our ‘weather’ is very changeable is difficult to say the least.

Against that backdrop, it is perhaps no surprise that many institutions are focused on the immediate demands of today. Yet it is precisely because of these pressures that we should be paying attention to the opportunities created by the move to in-year student data.

A significant change for the sector

You will be aware of the move towards in-year student data collection being led by the statutory bodies across the UK. The Office for Students in England, Medr in Wales and the Scottish Funding Council have all committed to moving from the current annual approach towards in-year student data with the first collection in 2028/29.

Alongside my role as vice-chancellor, I chair the In-year Data Sponsoring Group. My role is to represent the provider perspective and help ensure the sector can navigate this change successfully.

The Sponsoring Group is focused on supporting a coordinated transition, ensuring providers have the clarity, guidance and support they need, and ensuring that no institution is left behind.

Our collective aim is simple: to ensure the sector moves forward together and that every provider is supported through what is a significant change.

Success will not be measured by a small number of institutions moving quickly. It will be measured by the whole sector transitioning successfully and sustainably.

Better information for better decisions

It is understandable that some may view the move to in-year data as an additional requirement at an already challenging time.

However, wearing my vice-chancellor hat, I see it rather differently.

In this environment, annual planning has become more challenging than at any point in my career. Long-term forecasting is harder still.

Trying to understand and respond to that environment using data that arrives with a built-in delay only makes those challenges greater. It is the equivalent of navigating an unfamiliar and winding road using the rear-view mirror as your primary guide.

More timely and accurate data has the potential to change that.

It will help us understand what is happening within our institutions while students are still studying, rather than months after the fact. It will support better-informed decisions, more accurate forecasting, and greater confidence in both financial and strategic planning.

At a time when institutions are under pressure to demonstrate value, manage risk and respond to changing student demand, access to more timely information is not simply a compliance issue. It is a strategic advantage.

Preparing for the future

The move to in-year data is also about preparing the sector for the future.

Developments such as the Lifelong Learning Entitlement will challenge many of the assumptions that have underpinned higher education for decades. Traditional models based around single annual cohorts are likely to become less relevant as patterns of participation and learning continue to evolve.

To respond effectively, institutions will need a more current and accurate understanding of what is happening within their student populations.

For me, this is not simply a regulatory change. It is an opportunity to strengthen the information and insight available to us at a time when good decisions matter more than ever.

A call to engage

That is why I would encourage institutional leaders to engage with the teams responsible for student records and data returns within their organisation.

• Are they working with colleagues from Jisc/HESA?
• Do they understand the emerging requirements and timelines?
• Are plans already being put in place to prepare for the changes ahead?

Early engagement will help ensure institutions are ready for the transition and well placed to realise the benefits that more timely student data can bring.

The move to in-year data represents a significant shift for the sector. With continued collaboration between providers, statutory bodies, and Jisc, I am confident we can make that transition successfully and ensure every institution is equipped to benefit from more timely and actionable student data.