Medr/2026/35: Higher Education Data Requirements 2026/27

Introduction

1. This publication informs higher education providers (HEPs) of the higher education (HE) data used for the following purposes:

• the calculation of funding allocations;
• monitoring National Measures;
• monitoring equality and diversity;
• providing data to Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol about Welsh medium provision;
• publications;
• analysing HESA student record data quality;
• monitoring part-time fee waivers;
• monitoring degree apprenticeships;
• publishing Official Statistics;
• monitoring Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Further Education (FE) provision;
• informing policy.

2. In this publication HEPs include further education institutions (FEIs) providing higher education and higher education institutions (HEIs), that are funded by Medr. Also included are providers that subscribe to HESA to return their specifically designated course provision, but are not funded by Medr for their higher education provision. These providers are not included in the extractions and analysis relating to funding but are included in some of the other data extractions and analysis presented in this publication. Inclusion by provider type is signalled under the individual headings below and is further summarised in the table in Annex R.

3. The mappings in the annexes that relate to student data are based on Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record data being collected by Jisc for the 2025/26 data collection year. The mappings presented have been tested on data returned on the HESA student record for 2024/25 and early submissions for 2025/26. We welcome any feedback that providers have on the mappings in the annexes, either during the 202526 submission process so that we can make immediate changes to the Information Reporting Interface Service (IRIS) programs as necessary, or to feed into our review of these mappings ready for next year. Any comments that providers have should be sent to [email protected]. Mappings for the end of year monitoring data extraction are contained in Annex K of the End of Year Monitoring (EYM) publication. Comments on that mapping are also welcomed. Any significant changes to the mappings either in this document or in the EYM publication, made during the submission process, will be communicated to providers.

4. Should there be any major problems with the data extractions during the submission process, for example, issues with the mapping, the IRIS system or issues at individual providers, which mean that some or all of the IRIS outputs are not usable, then there is a possibility of re-extraction post-collection. If this is likely, we will inform providers.

5. Funding methods for 2027/28 are not final at the time of publication of this circular and some allocation methods may change. The funding methods included in this circular are those for 2026/27. It is assumed for the sake of extraction of data that the funding methods will remain the same for 2027/28.

Main changes for 2026/27 compared to 2025/26

6. The main changes included in this publication compared to Medr publication Medr/2025/14: Higher Education Data Requirements 2025/26, comprise:

• Annex  E has been updated to outline the data extraction methods associated with Medr’s Official Statistics publications.
• Annex F has been updated to reflect changes made after taking into account the responses to the consultation on the review of the data quality analysis outputs. Details of the updated outputs for 2025/26 that were not implemented in 2024/25 IRIS, and any changes that will require further work are included in Annex S. We have also included additional sheets in the data quality analysis outputs that show the student data used in the tables.
• A new Annex P has been introduced to outline the data extraction method associated with data used in calculating Initial Teacher Education (Qualified Teacher Status) placement funding.
• A new Annex Q has been introduced to outline the data extraction method associated with data used for identifying Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Further Education (FE) students. 

Contents

7. The contents of the annexes are as follows:

Annex A	Data used in teaching funding allocations
Annex B	Data used in research funding allocations
Annex C	Data used in the PGR training funding allocation
Annex D	Data provided to Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol
Annex E	Data used in Medr’s Official Statistics publications
Annex F	Data provided to higher education providers in the HESA student record data quality analysis
Annex G	Data used for allocating and monitoring the part-time undergraduate fee waiver scheme
Annex H	Data used in income analysis
Annex I	Data used for monitoring national measures
Annex J	Data used for monitoring and adjustment of degree apprenticeship funding
Annex K	Data used in the calculation of Research Wales Innovation Fund
Annex L	Data used in the calculation of anti-racism funding and Well-being and mental health funding
Annex M	Data used in targeted employability support allocations
Annex N	Data used in the calculation of capital funding
Annex O	Data used in calculating Wales Research Environment and Culture funding
Annex P	Data used in calculating Initial Teacher Education (Qualified Teacher Status) placement funding
Annex Q	Data used for identifying Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Further Education students
Annex R	Detail of outputs that each type of provider will receive through IRIS and associated sign-off requirements
Annex S	Summary of changes to IRIS Data Quality Analysis following 2025 review

Further information

Providers are welcome to contact us if they need any further clarity or have comments on the mappings outlined in the annexes, any further updates required will be communicated to providers.

Any queries regarding this publication should be directed to Rachael Clifford ([email protected]).