Million Plus

MillionPlus, the Association for Modern Universities, has commented on the Longitudinal Educational Outcomes data released by the government today (1 December), calling its use in assessing the benefits of studying for a degree “limited” and urging against its deployment as an additional metric in the Teaching Excellence Framework.

Pam Tatlow, Chief Executive of MillionPlus, said:

“The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes (LEO) data is being produced on an experimental basis but its use in assessing the benefits of studying for a degree is extremely limited. LEO relies on HMRC PAYE data and fails to capture the full-range of graduate employment patterns, including in sectors such as the creative industries, where portfolio careers and self-employment are common.

It also takes no account of the non-monetary benefits of higher education and the family background of graduates even though this is the most significant factor in determining early career opportunities and salaries. Equally important the analysis ignores the fact that the salaries of teachers and the many socially valuable graduate professions in the NHS and the public sector, are limited by the budgets provided by central government.

Ministers should resist the temptation of including the LEO data as an additional metric in the Teaching Excellence Framework. Even as it stands, the LEO data provides only a very partial picture of the value of participating in higher education and has nothing to do with the quality of teaching.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. MillionPlus is the Association for Modern Universities. More information can be found at www.millionplus.ac.uk
2. Modern universities: key facts
3. The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data brings together information from the Department for Education with employment, benefits and earnings information from the Department for Work and Pensions and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. These experimental statistics use LEO data to look at employment and earnings outcomes of higher education graduates 1, 3, 5 and 10 years after graduation. They update the publication on the 4th August 2016 by providing further breakdowns by graduate characteristics (e.g. gender and ethnicity) as well as providing data broken down by subject studied and university attended. More information can be found here
4. For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Dan Blows on 020 7717 1658 or email press@millionplus.ac.uk