Data assurance

We are continuously developing our approach to auditing data. As changes occur in the higher education sector, new data fields become important for regulatory activity and new areas of risk are identified. Audit work in the past has included: 

• student payments
• outturn data (for example, completion status of students)
• aspects of HESA student and alternative provider (AP) student data
• aspects of Individualised Learner Record (ILR) data
• data for registration and other regulatory purposes
• bespoke audits for individual providers to address risks identified.

We will generally audit providers based on a risk analysis of their data, identifying providers where data is not indicating what we would expect.

In new areas of data audit activity, we often carry out a review to identify areas of good practice or areas of difficulty, which we can then include in future guidance to providers.

Audit programmes

Further audit programmes will be published here as they become available.