Latest news with #HESA
Business Wire
08-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Infobip Helps HESA Double Graduate Outcomes Conversion Rates for Mobile Communications
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global cloud communications platform Infobip has enhanced its partnership with HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency), part of Jisc, to boost responses to its Graduate Outcomes survey, the UK's largest annual social survey. By implementing a Rich Communication Service (RCS) and mobile-first approach, Infobip has helped increase the agency's mobile survey conversion rates compared to SMS. Infobip has implemented a mobile and RCS-first approach for HESA, making the Graduate Outcomes survey available on this richer, more engaging channel across Android and Apple platforms. Share HESA, the UK agency for the collection and analysis of higher education data, delivers the Graduate Outcomes survey which surveys over 900,000 recent graduates annually. It helps improve university experiences for future students by providing a voice for graduates and postgraduates. To ensure UK higher education best reflects the actual needs of students, the survey needs to collect the experiences of as many graduates as possible. With survey fatigue and declining engagement an ongoing challenge, HESA is testing a number of different initiatives to boost online survey responses. With circa 70% of online responses completed on mobile, HESA needed to refresh its omnichannel approach and provide communication channels that graduates and postgraduates use and trust. RCS messaging enables organisations to increase their brand reputation and awareness. With RCS, HESA could add its survey logo and a link to its website. As the message design is more modern, it helps enhance reputation and verifies the message is genuine. Infobip has implemented a mobile and RCS-first approach for HESA, making the Graduate Outcomes survey available on this richer, more engaging channel across Android and Apple platforms; RCS survey conversion rates are double that of SMS. Dr Gosia Turner, Head of Surveys at Jisc, said: 'The Graduate Outcomes survey is a critical tool to allow recent graduates to share their experiences of UK higher education. To provide the rich, high-quality data that the sector needs, we need all graduates to complete the survey when they are invited. It's early days but the conversion rates on RCS compared to SMS look very encouraging.' James Stokes, Head of Enterprise, UK and Nordics, at Infobip, said: 'By integrating RCS capabilities powered by Infobip into the Graduate Outcomes survey, HESA has enhanced respondent experiences while helping boost completion rates. Having worked with HESA since 2018, this latest partnership demonstrates how we continue to innovate for our customers to help them achieve their objectives.' About Infobip Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected experiences across all stages of the customer journey. Accessed through a single platform, Infobip's omnichannel engagement, identity, user authentication and contact centre solutions help businesses and partners overcome the complexity of consumer communications to grow business and increase loyalty.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Don't choose the wrong Master's: 6 research-backed rules to pick the right course
Six key factors to consider before choosing your postgraduate course. (Gemini) A postgraduate degree is no longer just a feather in your academic cap. It's a high-stakes investment—of time, money, and often personal reinvention. The right master's or PhD program can sharpen your expertise, expand your global mobility, and push you ahead in a job market where credentials still matter—but context matters more. But let's not romanticize it. In a world flooded with flashy course titles and algorithm-fed rankings, choosing the right program is harder than ever. It's not just about prestige. It's about fit. Will this course actually serve your career goals? Can you afford it—financially and emotionally? Does the curriculum still hold relevance in a job market increasingly shaped by AI and automation? Before you sign up for a degree that costs more than it returns, consider these six research-driven filters. They won't make the decision easy. But they'll make it smarter. 1. Align the Course with Your Career Goals The most important question is: Will this course advance my career in the direction I want? According to the UK's Higher Education Statistics Agency ( HESA ), 83% of graduates (both undergraduate and postgraduate) were in employment or further study 15 months after completing their degrees, with 61% in full-time paid work (HESA, 2024). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Вот что поза во сне говорит о вашем характере! Удивительные Новости Undo Selecting a course that directly supports your career goals—through relevant modules, skill development, or industry placements—can significantly improve your job prospects. 2. Consider the Institution's Reputation and Industry Connections While university rankings aren't everything, they can influence employability and networking opportunities. However, it's also critical to note that 66% of employers prioritize professional experience over university brand names, according to the QS Global Employer Survey ( QS, 2020 ). That said, institutions with strong reputations often have better funding, industry partnerships, and alumni networks—all of which can enhance your postgraduate experience and open professional doors. 3. Understand the Financial Commitment Postgraduate education requires a substantial financial investment. In the UK, tuition fees typically range between £12,000 and £20,000 per year, depending on the subject and whether you're a domestic or international student ( ). Beyond tuition, you'll need to factor in living costs, study materials, and the potential loss of income if you're leaving full-time employment. Consider applying for scholarships, bursaries, or graduate assistantships to ease the financial burden. 4. Assess Flexibility in Study Modes Many students balance work, family, or other responsibilities while studying. A growing number of universities now offer part-time, online, and blended learning options to accommodate different needs. While exact statistics for postgraduates are limited, the trend is clearly moving toward flexible study modes. Be sure to review the program structure and delivery format to ensure it aligns with your lifestyle and commitments. 5. Explore Research and Development Opportunities For those interested in research, choose a university with a strong research focus in your field. Look for published faculty, well-funded departments, and active partnerships with industry. Engaging in research can lead to publications, patents, and future doctoral studies. Many postgraduate programs also offer access to cutting-edge facilities or opportunities to work on real-world projects, enhancing both your academic profile and employability. 6. Check Accreditation and Global Recognition Accreditation is a hallmark of academic quality. In the UK, for example, the Quality Assurance Agency ( QAA ) ensures that higher education institutions meet strict standards for teaching and assessment. Enrolling in an accredited course not only ensures academic rigor but also improves the global recognition of your degree—an essential factor if you're planning an international career. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
Irish Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Northern Ireland needs to prepare to educate, or prepare to fail
The former head of the European Central Bank (ECB), Mario Draghi once said that 'productivity growth is the only possible way to achieve prosperity'. High-quality education is crucial to bringing that about. Northern Ireland needs an urgent increase in the number of higher education places it has if it is to stand any chance of closing the investment and productivity gaps with Britain or the Republic of Ireland over the next 25 years. A comparison of 2022/23 data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for the United Kingdom and from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for the Republic of Ireland illustrates the chasm that exists. To close the gap with Britain, Northern Ireland needs to increase full-time undergraduate places from 35,000 to 50,000. Overall, higher education places of all types should rise from 60,000 to 80,000. READ MORE Simply put, a better-educated workforce produces more and attracts higher levels of investment than a less educated workforce that is left to work with inferior levels of investment. The examples are everywhere, but it would be futile simply to look on enviously. One must examine why other places succeeded, and copy the lessons. Given UK spending curbs, this is clearly not going to happen quickly, but plans are needed. Taking the regional comparisons of the HESA and HEA student numbers alongside official economic data for 2022, we can illustrate the links between higher education, investment and productivity. Within the 12 regions of the United Kingdom, NI comes second last for the number of higher education places per head, last by a significant margin for investment and third last in productivity. There is a clear pattern here and it stretches back decades. Putting full-time undergraduate student numbers in perspective, Britain has 42 per cent more places per head than Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland has 34,860 full-time undergraduate places compared to 178,515 equivalent places south of the Border, an 86 per cent gap in favour of the Republic per head. Less than 10 per cent of the Republic's undergraduates leave to study abroad compared to 30 per cent of Northern undergraduates, so the Republic's local-full-time-undergraduate-at-local-university ratio is more than double that of Northern Ireland. Using conservative figures for Gross National Income for productivity and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for investment, the Republic's investment/GDP and productivity are also both more than double Northern Ireland's. Comparing the Republic of Ireland to statistics available from Britain, the former had 35 per cent more full-time undergraduate places per head, investment was 46 per cent higher and productivity was 28 per cent higher. [ Ireland has highest rate of third-level education in EU ] Losing students is not all bad as long as most or some come back, especially if students from elsewhere come to study in Northern Ireland and want to stay on to work after they have won their degree. That latter number, however, is dire. One-third of Northern Ireland students come home within six months of graduation. In 2022/3, there were 29,015 Northern full-time students in Northern Ireland universities and 12,180 Northern students in universities in Britain. The number exported was offset by 1,330 students coming from Britain, by 1,840 students from the Republic – versus just 650 NI students studying in the Republic – and by 115 from other European Union counties and by 2,195 undergraduates from non-EU counties. This leaves Northern Ireland losing nearly 11,000 students to Britain. And it has been like this for years, with an average of 12,000 more going to Britain every year than come the other way over the last 10 years. Some Northern Ireland students leave by choice. Most do not. A significant number are forced to leave because of the Maximum Student Numbers ('MASN') cap on full-time undergraduates. In the 2022/23 year, there were about 7,000 available new full-time first-year undergraduate places at Northern Ireland universities for Northern Ireland-domiciled students, but there were 20,000 applications. Universities can admit additional students from outside Northern Ireland (such as from Britain, the Republic of Ireland, or elsewhere), but these are not counted within the student cap. It was introduced in 1994, well before UK university fees were introduced, though it must be said that Northern Ireland's Whitehall subsidy limits fees for NI students at NI universities to half UK levels, which can run to £9,500 (€11,150) a year. The student cap, however, has restricted the number of full-time undergraduate places that are available in Northern Ireland to a third below the equivalent number in Britain, even though Northern Ireland has a superior fertility rate. It also serves indirectly to increase the pressure on disadvantaged students, because they are unable to afford to go to Britain for third-level education if they cannot get a place at home. Put together, this is a demographic missed opportunity – even though Northern Ireland's fertility rate has been 10 per cent higher than Britain's every year for years and is projected to remain that way for decades to come. Northern Ireland is not capitalising upon its most precious advantage. Instead of having 30 per cent fewer places than Britain for those who want third-level education, as it does, it should have 10 per cent more. Instead, Northern Ireland is feeding Britain's demographic deficit. Northern Ireland covers healthcare, social care and education costs for students for 18 years yet the benefits are harvested elsewhere. There is demand for more local places. Just look at the numbers of Northern Ireland students who are taking Open University degrees in 2022/23, which are 94 per cent higher than the equivalent percentage in Britain. Noting the problem in 2022, Westminster's Northern Ireland Affairs Committee said it 'places a handbrake on the NI economy', leaving firms less willing to invest, or unable to fill job vacancies and increase their existing investments. The consequences are clear. Prospective investors and local employers laud the quality of our students, but lament their scarcity. Graduate unemployment is practically zero. The lack of more of them is holding Northern Ireland back. To break this cycle, thinking must change. Education is not a cost, it is an investment, one that drives economic growth. Universities and governments together can transform economies. Yes, we face financial constraints. But we must explore creative solutions, including alternative funding and financing for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees that lead graduates on to high-salary professional positions. The future prosperity of Northern Ireland depends on taking the right decisions and quickly. Let's not squander our demographic advantage any longer. It's time to leverage fully the capacity of our greatest asset: our people. Garrett Curran chairs the Queen's University Belfast foundation board and is a board member of Santander Asset Management
Cision Canada
25-04-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
The Home Equity Partners Welcomes Rob Hengartner to Advisory Board
TORONTO, April 23, 2025 /CNW/ - The Home Equity Partners (HEQ), a Toronto-based company redefining how homeowners access their home equity, is proud to announce the appointment of Rob Hengartner to its Advisory Board. Rob brings over 20 years of experience in finance and investment management roles and has an impressive long term track record of investing. He previously served as Managing Partner at The Woodbridge Company Ltd., where he developed significant expertise across various asset classes and investment strategies. Rob holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the DeGroote School of Business and MBA from the Schulich School of Business. "We are thrilled to welcome Rob to our Advisory Board," said Shael Weinreb, Founder and CEO of HEQ. "His experience and strategic insight will be instrumental as we continue to expand our mission to help homeowners in the GTA unlock the power of their home equity." "Joining The Home Equity Partners is a unique opportunity to work with a dynamic team that's changing the way people in the GTA view and access the equity in their homes," said Hengartner. "I'm very excited to help HEQ scale a fintech solution that truly supports homeowners." HEQ's signature Home Equity Sharing Agreement (HESA) gives homeowners access to funds without monthly payments, in exchange for a share in future appreciation. The approach has proven successful in the U.S., where providers like Unison and Hometap have funded over $3 billion in HESA's since 2008. "Whether homeowners want to renovate, consolidate debt, or build their financial future, a HESA offers a flexible solution to meet their needs," said Alicia Pedicelli, Chief Revenue Officer of HEQ. "Thanks to a shared approach to future home price appreciation, homeowners can confidently pursue their goals with peace of mind—without any interest or monthly payments." About The Home Equity Partners HEQ is a Toronto-based financial solutions company helping homeowners unlock equity through a flexible, transparent HESA model. In addition to empowering homeowners, HEQ provides investors with access to the stable returns of home price appreciation—without the overhead of ownership.
Forbes
31-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Can U.S. Higher Education Be Reimagined As A National Strategic Asset?
Years before the current maelstrom in Washington, a group of university leaders, business leaders, government and military leaders was working to position U.S. higher education in a new light. A clear need was identified for a unified national strategy to address some of the most pressing outcomes-related issues in higher education – those that have both held institutions back (inhibited change and evolution) and led to perceptions of being out-of-touch, of marginal value, or even irrelevant – but also one that leverages what higher educational institutions can do well, and uniquely well, to 'grow the talent needed to fuel our economy, address gaps across student groups and between the academy and industry, and achieve internationally competitive levels of learning for our students compared to their global peers' (On My Agenda: Elevating Higher Education as a Strategic Asset, by Henry Stoever, AGB Trusteeship magazine, May/June 2023.) This led to vision, shared by multiple associations and organizations, for a national council not simply on the future of U.S. higher education but on its future as a strategic asset to the nation – its democracy, economy, society, national security, and global stature. In response, the Council on Higher Education as a Strategic Asset (HESA), was established and began nearly two-year long effort to develop and distribute a report with specific and actionable recommendations to the White House, members of Congress, leaders of federal agencies, state governors and lawmakers, state higher education boards, and CEOs. Unlike previous commissions and councils, HESA was not the result of a presidential charge or a Congressional edict. Rather, HESA had a more organic and more representative genesis. While the original concept and early planning came from the Association of Governing Boards (AGB), it quickly (and by design) evolved into a council jointly administered and driven by multiple organizations and institutions from both the public and private sector. The HESA council was chaired by Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University, Linda Gooden, board chair of the University System of Maryland, and Robert J. King, the former assistant secretary for postsecondary education in the U.S. Department of Education. HESA also is backed by many affiliated organizations and associations. HESA commissioners and strategic advisors all have held senior executive positions in their organizations. The hope was that their important and timely work would serve to deepen and broaden the discussions around U.S. higher education as a strategic asset and an engine for growth, security, inclusion, and democracy. The council (3 co-chairs, more than 40 commissioners, and a dozen strategic advisors) comprises business, government, higher education, and military leaders with a shared goal to develop an urgent higher education strategy to raise the global competitive position of the United States. Specifically, the council was charged with developing high-impact recommendations to leverage the strengths of our higher education institutions to 'drive global competitiveness, keep our nation secure, sustain our democracy, and propel economic and social prosperity.' These were bold goals at a challenging time for higher education and our nation, one that has become far more challenging in recent months as the Trump administration seeks to radically remake higher education, among other U.S. institutions. The final report of the HESA Council, entitled 'America's Talent Moonshot: How the United States Can Win the Global Competition for Prosperity and Security,' was released last week. The report calls for commitment to outcomes that matter most to the American people and appears to have significant alignment with the priorities of the new administration in Washington: The report explicitly calls out current and projected workforce shortages in several key industry sectors having direct impact on national and/or economic security: Priorities identified in the report include: And calls for: The report includes a call to action to create a 'coordinated national response to the complex, strategic education and talent needs of the United States,' with six specific recommendations: The full 'America's Talent Moonshot' report is available here.
