Key Information Sets Fact Sheet – 2012
1. What are Key Information Sets and why does Oxford need to provide them?
Key information Sets are intended to provide objective and comparable sets of quantitatively-focused
information about key aspects of undergraduate-level courses, to applicants, their parents and teachers
(see point 2 below).
Key Information Sets originated from the government White Paper 'Students at the Heart of the System',
which called for reforms to improve the provision of information to prospective students. These reforms
were aimed at ensuring that applicants have adequate information to enable them to make informed
choices about Higher Education, including what and where to study. The Higher Education Funding
Council for England (HEFCE) sees Key Information Sets as a crucial element in delivering these reforms.
It is a statutory requirement that all Higher Education Institutions, Further Education Colleges, or nonpublicly funded providers of higher education programmes that subscribe to the Quality Assurance
Agency for Higher Education (QAA) produce Key information Sets for all1 undergraduate courses planned
for 2013-14 and beyond.
All information contained within the Key Information Sets is auditable by the Quality Assurance Agency.
2. What information do Key Information Sets contain?
Category
Learning & Teaching
Methods
Assessment Methods
Course Fees &
Financial Support
Course Accreditation
Accommodation
Costs
Graduate
Employment
Student Satisfaction
Students’ Union
Further Detail
Percentage of time in each year spent in each of:
Scheduled Learning/Guided Independent
Learning/Placement
Percentage of assessment in each year by each of:
Written/Coursework/Practical
Average annual tuition fee
Availability of fee waivers/means tested support/
non means tested support/participation in the
National Scholarship Programme
Accrediting body details
Average annual cost of institution owned
accommodation
Average annual cost of private accommodation
No. of institution-owned beds available
Average annual salary after 6 months
% of people going on to work/study
Various
% of people viewing the Students’ Union
positively
Source
Divisions and Departments
Divisions and Departments
Variety of internal and
external sources
Divisions and Departments
Conference of Colleges –
Domestic Bursars’
Committee
Destination of Leavers
from Higher Education
(DLHE) survey
National Student Survey
National Student Survey
3. Where on the website will Key Information Sets be found?
From late September 2012, prospective students will see a “widget” on each course page within the
Undergraduate Admissions web pages. The widget is a graphic with a rolling suite of headline information
from the Key Information Sets, specifically about the course the user is viewing (see point 5). When
clicked, this widget will direct users to the official Key Information Sets comparison website at
www.unistats.direct.gov.uk, where a comparison of similar courses, across institutions within the UK, can
be made.
1
A Key Information Set is not required for courses where the total FTE is one year or less when studied full-time (i.e.120 credits or less
for its entirety); courses offered mainly overseas; intercalated degrees; part-time courses that are also offered on a full-time basis
where a Key Information Set is produced for the full-time course; a course that is run in the UK but only for international students.
4. As Key Information Sets are quantitatively focused (though do not refer to group sizes), how has Oxford
ensured that the quality of its education – particularly its tutorial system – is appropriately reflected?
An Oxford widget will sit directly above the HEFCE Key Information Sets widget on the admissions course
web pages. When clicked, this will direct users to a webpage containing tailored qualitative information
pertaining to: Oxford’s tutorial system; the benefits of the college system; exceptional resources;
generous financial support; guaranteed accommodation; and excellent career options.
5. What do the widgets look like?
A) The HEFCE widget
B) The Oxford widget
C) A mock up of the widgets in-situ
English
Language
and
Literature
6. Who is producing Oxford’s Key Information Sets and when will they be published?
The exercise is being managed on behalf of Education Committee by a steering group chaired by Margaret
Stevens (Social Sciences), with coordination and support provided by Hayley Holmes (Student
Administration). The steering group has academic and administrative representatives from:
Divisions: Robert Taylor (MPLS), Louise Sumner (MPLS), Dave Leal (Humanities), Karen Brill
(Humanities), Jane Dale (Social Sciences), David Harris (Medical Sciences), Shelley Mann (Medical
Sciences), Peter Gambles (Continuing Education)
Conference of Colleges: Mark Pobjoy (Senior Tutors’ Committee), James Bennett (Domestic Bursars’
Committee)
OUSU: Hannah Cusworth (Vice-President for Access and Academic Affairs)
Education Committee has approved the data for the Key Information Sets.
In mid-September, a preview of the new official comparison website at www.unistats.direct.gov.uk will
give us an opportunity to benchmark Oxford’s Key Information Sets against those from other institutions,
before they go live at the end of September.
7. What is known about the future development of Key Information Sets?
The HE Public Information Steering Group (HEPISG) chaired by Janet Beer (Oxford Brookes), is responsible
for the development of the Key Information Sets and will undertake a review of their effectiveness and
compilation in 2013.
The Government plans to review information provision and support for postgraduate students. It has
already been mooted that postgraduates may find Key Information Sets useful.
There are unconfirmed plans to include staff/student ratios in the returns for future Key Information Sets.
Further information is available from Keith Zimmerman ([email protected])