Frequently Asked Questions
- How were institutions selected for participation in the survey?
- How can I tell if my institution is participating in the survey?
- Is participation in the survey compulsory?
- How can I get advice on what to include in my survey responses?
- Why do I need to return information relating to the last three financial years?
- What do I do if I find that my numbers entered in previous years are now in error?
- What should I do if I am unsure about whether to include an item?
- How should I return my questionnaire?
- Why have I received a phone call from the survey team at NatCen?
How were institutions selected for participation in the survey?
All UK HE institutions and directly FE-funded institutions are invited to participate in this year’s survey.
How can I tell if my institution is participating in the survey?
The Vice Chancellors of participating institutions should have received a letter in October 2011 informing them about the survey. There were four versions depending on where the institution is based. They can be found here.
Is participation in the survey compulsory?
Participation is not compulsory but completing this year’s survey is a pre-condition of eligibility for receiving funding from the government matched-funding schemes that are operating from 2008-11. Institutions not eligible for the matched-funding schemes (e.g. outside England and Wales) are strongly encouraged to participate in order to contribute to and receive information about as full as possible a picture of gift revenues and costs throughout the UK.
How can I get advice on what to include in my survey responses?
Instructions for what to include in survey responses, together with worked examples, are available in the Reporting Rules document which is available here. Please read this thoroughly before completing the questionnaire. If this does not answer your queries, you can speak to the survey helpline team on 020 7549 9584 or email your query to rosscasesurvey@natcen.ac.uk.
Why do I need to return information relating to the last three financial years?
The survey requests revenue and cost information relating to the last three financial years in order to produce figures relating to a three-year average. It is important that information relating to previous years is collected consistently from all participating institutions.
What do I do if I find that my numbers entered in previous years are now in error?
Enter the correct numbers for the past three years in this year’s survey.
What should I do if I am unsure about whether to include an item?
Your survey answers should follow the Reporting Rules as closely as possible. However, the priority of the survey is to obtain a complete return for each institution, so, if you are uncertain about whether particular items should be included, please use your best judgment rather than give no answer.
How should I return my questionnaire?
Completed questionnaires should be uploaded to NatCen’s secure FTP site https://ftp.natcen.ac.uk. You will receive a unique login and password from NatCen. No other institution will be able to see the return you place on the FTP site. Questionnaire returns are due by 23 November 2010. A timetable for the 2010-11 survey can be found here.
Why have I received a phone call from the survey team at NatCen?
The survey team at NatCen will be ringing participating institutions to make sure that an appropriate person has received information about the survey. Institutions may receive a further phone call to check on progress with completing the questionnaire and the likely timing of its return to NatCen. Additional calls may be made after returns have been received, in order to check particular details.