1136.0 - A Directory of Education and Training Statistics, 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/03/2009   
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HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT STATISTICS COLLECTION

CONTACT

Higher Education Group
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Telephone (02) 6240 9788
Email university.statistics@dest.gov.au
Website www.deewr.gov.au

DESCRIPTION

In 2007, there were 105 public and private higher education institutions that received Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) funding on behalf of students in the form of student HELP loans from the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (DEEWR), or were otherwise required to report to DEEWR. The Higher Education Student Data Collection comprises information on enrolments and award course completions from these institutions.

Scope

Students enrolled in a higher education course who consume load in at least one unit of study.

Reference Year

The reference year for all Higher Education Student statistics from 2005 covers a calendar year period. Student enrolments data for the years 2001 to 2004 covered the period 1 September of the year prior to the reference year to 31 August of the reference year. Award course completions data have always been reported in calendar years.

Frequency of Collection

Annual

Method of Collection

Institutions receive detailed documentation about what information is required . Universities design and produce their own statistical information (Enrolment) forms to collect the required information from students. DEEWR provides institutions with suggested wording for questions relating to Indigenous status, language spoken at home and disability.

Institutions submit data online using software provided by DEEWR.

DISSEMINATION

Release Schedule

Statistical publications are released in September of the year following the reference year.

Publications

Students: Selected Higher Education Statistics. DEEWR, Canberra.
Award Course Completions 2007: Selected Higher Education Statistics. DEEWR, Canberra.

These publications are freely available from the DEEWR website.

Geography

Information is available for Australia, all states and territories, and HEPs.

Data Service

Publications and data tables are available on the DEEWR website. Aggregated datasets (zipped files for enrolments, student load, and completions) and DestPac metadata links are provided. Other data are available on request.

DATA ITEMS

Demographics
Age
Sex
Aboriginality
Country of birth
Location of residence
Nationality
Other personal characteristics
Prior education

Course Details
Type of course
Level of course
Mode of attendance
Field of education of the course
Disciplines for units of study
Attendance type
HECS or FEE-HELP liabilities
Equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL)
HEP name
HEP state or territory

Historical Data

The collection of higher education statistics in its current form commenced in 1987. Prior to that there were two separate collections of data relating to advanced education institutions and Universities. Data between the two collections is not strictly compatible and only limited comparisons can be made. Since 1987 there have also been changes to the existing collection. In 1989 a number of significant changes to the collection were made, resulting from the introduction of HECS. Since that time DEEWR has continuously reviewed the nature of information required and the timing of provision of the data.