Data exchange can help universities and employers forge stronger and more valuable partnerships, explains the AGCAS Employer Engagement Task Group.

The AGCAS Employer Engagement Task Group (EETG) works across the HE sector to understand current trends and challenges in the relationships between employers and universities.

The feedback that we have heard increasingly over the last few years is that there is a lack of data flow between universities and employers.

University careers teams want to use application data to understand where students are dropping out of the recruitment process so they can make sure the support they offer their students and graduates is as relevant and impactful as possible – which ultimately helps to improve the Graduate Outcomes of all students.

When the EETG started digging deeper and speaking to our employer partners on this topic, it also became apparent that they were unaware of what data universities could provide to enhance their attraction strategies (e.g. demographic data on student cohorts).

This led us to research what data exchange already exist, and how universities and employers could use data to enhance their partnerships going forward.

In May 2024, the EETG produced two surveys – one for employers and one for university careers teams. The surveys were promoted via AGCAS and ISE with 25 employer and 31 university responses.

KEY FINDINGS

Overall data sharing

We found that a lack of data sharing was prevalent across both employers and universities. The majority of employers stated that they received no data at all from universities.

Universities by comparison received more data from their employer partners, but anecdotally reported that they are more likely to ask for data on graduate hires from their institutions as this directly informs the work they do to support their students.

Type of data that is currently shared by employers

Whilst universities are more likely to receive data from employers, the range of information can vary considerably from employer to employer. In this next question employers were asked what data they provided:

A small proportion provide ‘extensive information’ which includes how students progress through applicant recruitment stages and number of hires, and a similar number provide ‘complete information’ which also includes key EDI data.

We found that 75% of employers surveyed provide informal data or no data at all.

Extensive and complete data can be shared with internal stakeholders within the university. This informs the work of careers teams and wider academic teams. It can also impact on curriculum delivery.

What data would employers and universities like to receive?

University feedback on the data they would appreciate is closely linked to the above question with the majority of respondents keen to access applicant progression and related EDI data.

The second most quoted category was around national comparisons especially where this is against similar types of institutions (e.g. Russell Group or University Alliance).

And there were three key areas of data which employers would find helpful to receive from university partners:
• broad demographic data covering ethnicity, gender, disability, and socio-economic backgrounds
• event data both in terms of numbers as well as demographic breakdown
• numbers of students on particular courses

Impact of data sharing on partnerships

There was a strong belief from universities that the sharing of relevant data has a beneficial impact on the partnership with only 6.5% stating it made no difference. This was also reflected in employer responses.

Existing good practice

Universities highlighted that some employers are already excelling in this space, including:

• Enterprise Mobility
• FDM
• PwC
• Teach First
• IBM
• Galliford Try
• Unlocked
• Frontline

Challenges with data sharing

The challenges that were highlighted by both parties included differing institutional classifications around social mobility and widening participation, as well as an interest in data that may be hard to source or provide (e.g. location motivation, neurodiversity, and information on ‘top achievers’).

The survey responses clearly demonstrated that there is an appetite from both employers and universities for consistency and further data sharing as both sides look to strengthen their partnerships and make them more effective.

HOW TO USE DATA TO ENHANCE PARTNERSHIPS

The research findings were explored by EETG at the recent ISE Student Recruitment Conference. This allowed us to pinpoint both challenges and opportunities in the realm of data sharing to support student and graduate recruitment.

We hosted a sell-out session designed to spark meaningful ‘campfire conversations’ among employers, universities and suppliers. All three parties play a crucial role in enhancing data sharing and providing a platform for open discussions.

Four key themes emerged:

Accessible student demographic data

One of the primary suggestions from employers was for universities to make key student demographic data easily accessible on their websites.

Employers highlighted the importance of having this information readily available as they plan their recruitment rounds. This could include historical demographic statistics for major events, such as career fairs, to help employers tailor their strategies.

Excellent examples of this in practice are Kingston University, who already publish extensive student demographic data on their website, and King’s College London, who publish demographic data based on attendance at their key careers events.

This transparency not only aids in recruitment planning but also fosters stronger partnerships between universities and employers. Universities can develop this to include their career registration data and career exit data to help employers with meaningful campus interventions.

Applicant tracking systems

Employers expressed a willingness to share data from their applicant tracking systems more regularly with universities. Specifically, they could provide insights into where students are failing to progress in the recruitment process.

However, they acknowledged that workload constraints might require a more focused, regional approach – for instance, providing the data to their closest universities.

Some employers noted that implementing better systems to enable this level of data sharing would necessitate senior buy-in and improved infrastructure but were willing to have this conversation if universities can provide supporting information.

A centralised data hub

One of the more ambitious ideas discussed was the creation of a central online hub where both employers and universities could upload their data, making it accessible to all parties involved.

This would streamline the data-sharing process, eliminating the need for individual email requests.

However, participants emphasised the importance of translating data from both sides to provide relevant context, ensuring that the information is useful and actionable for everyone involved.

Roundtable

A particularly popular suggestion was to organise a follow-up roundtable event. This would provide an opportunity to dive deeper into some of the ideas and challenges that were identified during the session.

Continuing the dialogue in this way could help us move from discussion to action, ultimately leading to more effective data sharing and stronger collaborations across the board.

Next steps

The outcomes of the survey and the campfire conversations shows that data exchange between employers and universities could be the spark that ignites truly impactful partnerships, with benefits ranging from more successful attraction and recruitment cycles to improved graduate outcomes.

The EETG will be looking to continue the dialogue around this with employers, suppliers and universities. We will host an Employer Engagement Forum on this topic for AGCAS members in the Autumn and will be organising an Employer & Supplier Roundtable too.

If you are interested in taking part in the Roundtable, please contact Olivia Trodden (o.trodden@kingston.ac.uk) and Paul Clatworthy (p.clatworthy@qmul.ac.uk).

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