Consultation on the suitability of Jisc as the designated data body

This consultation sought views on the suitability of Jisc to be the designated data body for higher education in England.

We invited expressions of interest in becoming the designated data body in February 2022. We received a single expression of interest, from Jisc (see Annex A below). 

Data about higher education providers and their students is essential to the Office for Students’ approach to regulation. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is the designated data body under the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (HERA).

HESA has announced that it is exploring a merger with Jisc. If HESA was to merge with Jisc, there would no longer be a designated data body because, in the longer term, HESA as a body would no longer exist and it is not possible to transfer designation between bodies. Given the need for continuity in data, we considered it prudent to begin the process of considering the designation of a new body in advance of any merger.