Course data: making the most out of your course information

JISC On Air (via iTunes)

Episode 11: Course data: Making the most out of your course information

9th April 2013

(Duration: 21:03)

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In this episode of Jisc On Air, Course Data: making the most of your course information Kim Catcheside speaks with representatives from HESA and HEFCE about course data and the importance of better course information for the higher education sector and for individual universities and colleges.

Richard Puttock, Head of Data Management at HEFCE, talks about the key information set (KIS) and the Unistats website what this initiative is trying to achieve and how it sits alongside Jisc’s work and the eXchanging Course Related Information – Course Advertising Profile (XCRI-CAP) standard.

Andy Youell, Director of standards and development for the Higher Education Statistics Agency is in no doubt that the adoption of consistent data standards will help universities and colleges make better business decisions.

Clear course data helps students compare courses and make informed choices. Kim meets staff and students at the Plymouth College of Art to talk about a joint initiative using detailed information to help art and design students find their ideal course.

Kim also speaks to Gill Ferrel from the Jisc Course Data programme to find out more about course data, about joining up information and making it shareable and how initiatives such as KIS and the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) work alongside XCRI-CAP standard and the work of Jisc projects.

Mentioned in the programme

Find out more about the link between XCRI-CAP, KIS and HEAR

Explore the XCRI website to find out more about the standard, the technical details and the benefits it offers to universities and colleges.

The HEA have a website giving technical advice on the HEAR there is also an information page on the Jisc website.

Hefce have a useful page on the key information set (KIS) as well as detailed information on the HESA website

For further information on JISC’s activity in this area visit:

Listen to short interviews with universities and colleges to find out about their experiences of course data management and implementing XCRI-CAP.

Read more about Jisc’s current work on course data on the Jisc website.

Explore our crib sheet on improving student recruitment, there is also a short briefing paper on sharing and managing your course data effectively using XCRI-CAP and a longer research paper on the drivers behind the growing importace of course information.