Student Collection

Table A and B institutions under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988

Academic Organisational Unit (AOU) File

4 data elements.   Information on units of study formed by an institution to undertake as their primary objective teaching only, research only or teaching-and-research functions, or which is used for statistical reporting purposes.   Such units are referred to by various names, such as “schools” and “departments”.

Course (CO) file

12 data elements.   Information in respect of a particular reference year for all courses being offered by the institution.

Enrolment (EN) file

36 data elements.   Demographic information about students for whom Student Load data are reported.

Liability Status (LS) file

16 data elements.   Records which represent student load and HECS liability for a particular student/course/semester/liability status.

Student Load (LD) file

12 data elements.   Information on all units of study undertaken by a student.

Past Course Completions (PS) file

16 data elements.   Information on students who successfully completed the requirements of their course.

HECS DUE (DU) file

23 data elements.   The file is provided to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and contains information on a student’s debt (HECS, OLDPS, PELS, BOTPLS) and personal details required by the ATO for identification.

Payment Option Declaration (PO) file

20 data elements.   An electronic record of the Payment Option Declaration Form indicating a student has chosen to defer their HECS, OLDPS, PELS or BOTPLS debt.

Staff Collection

Table A and B institutions under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988

Full Time/Fractional Full Time (FT) File

18 elements.   Information on all staff employed on a full-time or part time basis at the institution during the reference year.

Casual (CA) file

7 elements.   Information on all staff employed on a casual basis at the institution during the year prior to the reference year

Finance Collection

Table A institutions under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988

Financial Statement Guidelines for higher education institutions

Approved form for institutions to use in preparing annual financial statement.

Research Data Collection

Table A and B institutions under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988

Research Income Return

Research income received by an institution and its subsidiaries for a reference year, including research income from Australian Competitive Grants; other public sector research income; industry and other research income; and Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) research income.

Research Publications Return

Number of books, book chapters, articles in scholarly refereed journals and full written conference papers produced by each institution.

Vice-Chancellor’s certification statement

Certifies that returns are correct and have been compiled in accordance with specifications.

Vice-Chancellor’s CRC Certification Statement

Certifies research income received by their respective institutions from CRCs.

Audit certificate

Certifies as correct the research income for Australian Competitive Grants; other public sector research income; and industry and other research income.

Research and Research Training Management Reports (included in Educational Profiles Collection - see below)

Table A and B institutions under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988

Part A

Qualitative description of institution’s performance in research and research training, plans for building on performance to date and future objectives.

Part B

Quantitative data on research and research training performance in a standardised format.   Four data tables:

Total and commencing higher degree research (HDR) students

Research income

Research active staff

Qualifications and activity of staff who supervised HDR students.

Educational Profiles Collection

Table A institutions under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988

Strategic plans

Qualitative description of main features of strategic plans and commentary on substantial changes in strategies or core activities.

Educational Profiles Process was the main mechanism for ensuring accountability, quality and fairness in higher education funding.

Reporting required detailed descriptions of plans and processes.

Research and Research Training Management Reports

See section above

Capital asset management plans

Tables and detailed commentary

Student load data

Four tables

Quality assurance and improvement plans

Detailed plans/report.

Equity plans

Detailed plans/report.

Indigenous education strategies

Detailed strategies/report.

Student Collection

Table A and B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003. Reduced requirements apply to other Higher Education Providers.

Course of Study (CO) File

11 elements.   Information in respect of a particular reference year for all courses being offered by the provider.

Renamed from Course File

Student Enrolment (EN) File

26 elements.   Demographic information about students for whom Student Load data are reported.

Reduction in data elements from 2003.

Student Load/Liability (LL) file

23 elements.   Records which represent student load and HELP debt liability for all units of study.

This file is an amalgamation of the Student Load File and Liability Status Files.   It also includes the HELP debt at the unit level.   This was formerly collected at the course level on the HECS DUE File.

HELP DUE File

22 elements.   Personal details required by the ATO for identification for students who have a HELP loan.

Renamed from HECS DUE File

Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (ECAF) File

22 elements.   An electronic record of the Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form indicating a student has chosen to defer their HELP debt.   

Renamed from Payment Option Declaration Form File

Past Course Completions (PS) File

18 elements.   Information on students who successfully completed the requirements of their course.

Minor increase in data elements from 2003.

Student Unit of Study Completions (CU) File

7 elements. Information on a student’s progress at the unit of study level.

New File

Student OS HELP (OS) File

9 elements.   Information on students who have an OS HELP loan.

New File.   This is used for administering the OS-HELP Loan scheme.

Commonwealth Learning Scholarships (SS) File

6 elements.   Information on students who have a CLS scholarship.

New File.   This is used for administering the CLS scholarship scheme

Campus (CM) file

16 elements. Detailed information on requirements for students to enter selected courses.

New File

Revisions (RF) File

17 elements.   Used by providers to notify DEST of changes to data due to remissions or revisions.

New File.

Academic Organisational Unit (AOU) File no longer required.

Staff Collection

Table A and B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Requirement does not apply to other Higher Education Providers.

Full Time/Fractional Full Time (FT) File

18 elements.   Information on all staff employed on a full-time or part time basis by the provider during the reference year.

No significant change from 2003.

Casual (CA) File

7 elements.   Information on all staff employed on a casual basis by the provider during the year prior to the reference year

No significant change from 2003.

Finance Collection

Table A providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Financial Statement Guidelines for higher education institutions

Approved form for providers to use in preparing annual financial statement.

Form revised in 2004 to significantly streamline reporting and acquittal of Commonwealth financial assistance.   Revised form modelled on PricewaterhouseCoopers best practice guide (‘Value Accounts’) published annually in conjunction with Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and CPA Australia.  

Requirement to report on expense by function and segment information removed.

Research Data Collection

Table A and Table B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Research Income Return

Research income received by a provider and its subsidiaries for a reference year, including research income from Australian Competitive Grants; other public sector research income; industry and other research income; and Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) research income.

No significant changes from 2003.

Research Publications Return

Number of books, book chapters, articles in scholarly refereed journals and full written conference papers produced by each provider.

No significant changes from 2003.

Vice-Chancellors certification statement

Certifies that returns are correct and have been compiled in accordance with specifications.

No significant changes from 2003.

Vice-Chancellor’s CRC Certification Statement

Certifies research income received by their respective providers from CRCs.

No significant changes from 2003.

Audit certificate

Certifies as correct the research income for Australian Competitive Grants; other public sector research income; and industry and other research income.

No significant changes from 2003.

Research and Research Training Management Reports (RRTMRs)

  (instructions released in conjunction with Institutional Assessment Framework Information Collection 2005 instructions)

Table A and Table B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Part A

Qualitative description of provider’s performance in research and research training, plans for building on performance to date and future objectives.

No significant changes from 2003.   The frequency of RRTMRs has been reduced.   From 2005, providers are required to explain the allocation method used for internal distribution of research block funds and to provide existing data by areas of research strength.

Part B

Quantitative data on research and research training performance in a standardised format.   Four data tables to be completed:

Total and commencing higher degree research (HDR) students

Research income

Research active staff

Qualifications and activity of staff who supervised HDR students.

Institution Assessment Framework (IAF) Information Collection

  [Replaces the Educational Profiles Collection]

Table A and B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Strategic plans

No commentary now required - only a web link or an electronic version of publicly available document.

In order to keep providers’ reporting requirements to a minimum, the IAF analysis is primarily based on existing and publicly available data sources such as the student, staff and research data collections; strategic, business and risk management plans; and audited financial statement.

Quality assurance and improvement plans not required.

Research and research training management reports

See section above

Capital asset management plans

Significantly reduced commentary required.

Student load data

Three tables with reduced data elements.

Table A providers

Equity plans

Significantly reduced in scope.   Requires only updates of changes from previous years.

Indigenous education statements

Significantly reduced in scope.   Requires only updates of changes from previous years required.

Student Collection

Table A and B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003. Reduced requirements apply to other Higher Education Providers.

Course of Study (CO) File

11 elements.   Information in respect of a particular reference year for all courses being offered by the provider.

Renamed from Course File

Student Enrolment (EN) File

26 elements.   Demographic information about students for whom Student Load data are reported.

Reduction in data elements from 2003.

Student Load/Liability (LL) file

23 elements.   Records which represent student load and HELP debt liability for all units of study.

This file is an amalgamation of the Student Load File and Liability Status Files.   It also includes the HELP debt at the unit level.   This was formerly collected at the course level on the HECS DUE File.

HELP DUE File

22 elements.   Personal details required by the ATO for identification for students who have a HELP loan.

Renamed from HECS DUE File

Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form (ECAF) File

22 elements.   An electronic record of the Electronic Commonwealth Assistance Form indicating a student has chosen to defer their HELP debt.   

Renamed from Payment Option Declaration Form File

Past Course Completions (PS) File

18 elements.   Information on students who successfully completed the requirements of their course.

Minor increase in data elements from 2003.

Student Unit of Study Completions (CU) File

7 elements. Information on a student’s progress at the unit of study level.

New File

Student OS HELP (OS) File

9 elements.   Information on students who have an OS HELP loan.

New File.   This is used for administering the OS-HELP Loan scheme.

Commonwealth Learning Scholarships (SS) File

6 elements.   Information on students who have a CLS scholarship.

New File.   This is used for administering the CLS scholarship scheme

Campus (CM) file

16 elements. Detailed information on requirements for students to enter selected courses.

New File

Revisions (RF) File

17 elements.   Used by providers to notify DEST of changes to data due to remissions or revisions.

New File.

Academic Organisational Unit (AOU) File no longer required.

Staff Collection

Table A and B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Requirement does not apply to other Higher Education Providers.

Full Time/Fractional Full Time (FT) File

18 elements.   Information on all staff employed on a full-time or part time basis by the provider during the reference year.

No significant change from 2003.

Casual (CA) File

7 elements.   Information on all staff employed on a casual basis by the provider during the year prior to the reference year

No significant change from 2003.

Finance Collection

Table A providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Financial Statement Guidelines for higher education institutions

Approved form for providers to use in preparing annual financial statement.

Form revised in 2004 to significantly streamline reporting and acquittal of Commonwealth financial assistance.   Revised form modelled on PricewaterhouseCoopers best practice guide (‘Value Accounts’) published annually in conjunction with Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and CPA Australia.  

Requirement to report on expense by function and segment information removed.

Research Data Collection

Table A and Table B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Research Income Return

Research income received by a provider and its subsidiaries for a reference year, including research income from Australian Competitive Grants; other public sector research income; industry and other research income; and Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) research income.

No significant changes from 2003.

Research Publications Return

Number of books, book chapters, articles in scholarly refereed journals and full written conference papers produced by each provider.

No significant changes from 2003.

Vice-Chancellors certification statement

Certifies that returns are correct and have been compiled in accordance with specifications.

No significant changes from 2003.

Vice-Chancellor’s CRC Certification Statement

Certifies research income received by their respective providers from CRCs.

No significant changes from 2003.

Audit certificate

Certifies as correct the research income for Australian Competitive Grants; other public sector research income; and industry and other research income.

No significant changes from 2003.

Research and Research Training Management Reports (RRTMRs)

  (instructions released in conjunction with Institutional Assessment Framework Information Collection 2005 instructions)

Table A and Table B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Part A

Qualitative description of provider’s performance in research and research training, plans for building on performance to date and future objectives.

No significant changes from 2003.   The frequency of RRTMRs has been reduced.   From 2005, providers are required to explain the allocation method used for internal distribution of research block funds and to provide existing data by areas of research strength.

Part B

Quantitative data on research and research training performance in a standardised format.   Four data tables to be completed:

Total and commencing higher degree research (HDR) students

Research income

Research active staff

Qualifications and activity of staff who supervised HDR students.

Institution Assessment Framework (IAF) Information Collection

  [Replaces the Educational Profiles Collection]

Table A and B providers under the Higher Education Support Act 2003

Strategic plans

No commentary now required - only a web link or an electronic version of publicly available document.

In order to keep providers’ reporting requirements to a minimum, the IAF analysis is primarily based on existing and publicly available data sources such as the student, staff and research data collections; strategic, business and risk management plans; and audited financial statement.

Quality assurance and improvement plans not required.

Research and research training management reports

See section above

Capital asset management plans

Significantly reduced commentary required.

Student load data

Three tables with reduced data elements.

Table A providers

Equity plans

Significantly reduced in scope.   Requires only updates of changes from previous years.

Indigenous education statements

Significantly reduced in scope.   Requires only updates of changes from previous years required.