Where Higher Education Qualifiers Go

29th September 2010

Attainment in higher education and destinations of qualifiers 2008-09

Statistics on qualifiers from higher education courses at Scottish higher education institutions (HEIs) and Scottish colleges for 2008-09 are published today by Scotland's Chief Statistician along with survey information on the first destinations of EU domiciled qualifiers from HEIs in the same year.

The publication reports on all higher education qualifications, including those at HNC/HND level and students that upgraded their previous higher education qualification. This updates the publication issued on the 8th December 2009.

Summary of Key Findings:

Qualifiers

The number of Higher Education (HE) qualifiers from Scottish institutions has continued to rise, in the most recent year by 0.8 percent (695 qualifiers), to a record high of 84,030 in 2008-09. This increase was mostly due to a rise of 990 in the number of HNC/HND qualifications obtained and a rise of 515 in the number of first degree qualifications obtained.

Scottish colleges saw an increase in qualifiers of 5.9 percent (1,260), to 22,465 in 2008-09, mostly due to an increase in the combined numbers of HNC/HNDs awarded (increasing by 1,225 or 8.9 percent). This increase accounts for the majority of the total increase in qualifiers from all Scottish institutions in 2008-09.

Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) saw a decrease in qualifiers of 0.9 percent (565). This was mostly due to a decrease of 10.1 percent (760) in the number of students gaining undergraduate qualifications other than at first degree or HNC/HND level. There was an increase of 1.6 percent (500) in the number of first degree qualifiers from Scottish HEIs.

The number of qualifications obtained by Scottish students remained stable at 61,435. This was an increase of 15 on 2007-08 when there was 61,420 Scottish qualifiers.
Scots domiciles account for nearly three quarters of qualifiers from Scottish institutions (73.1 percent) in 2008-09. This is down from 73.7 percent in 2007-08. Qualifications obtained by international students accounted for 18.0 percent of all qualifiers (15,105) in 2008-09. This is the same proportion as in 2007-08.
First Destinations

88.4 percent of qualifiers from higher education courses at Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were in employment or further study/training 6 months after completing their course. This is a decrease of 1.4 percentage points on 2007-08.
62.3 percent of qualifiers from higher education courses at Scottish HEIs were in permanent or temporary UK employment 6 months after completing their course. A further 22.5 percent were engaged in further study or training. 76.1 percent of those in permanent UK employment were employed in graduate level occupations. 6.1 percent of qualifiers were believed to be unemployed.

Of qualifiers in permanent UK or overseas employment the proportion employed in Scotland has decreased by 0.2 percentage points from 80.7 percent in 2007-08 to 80.5 percent in 2008-09. 92.5 percent of Scots qualifiers in permanent employment were employed within Scotland. This is an increase of 0.5 percentage points on 2007-08.
66.5 percent of Scots postgraduate and first degree qualifiers from Scottish HEIs were employed in graduate level occupations within Scotland or engaged in further study or training 6 months after completing their higher education course. This figure is used as a proxy indicator in 'Scotland Performs'1. The figure has fallen by 1.9 percentage points from 68.4 percent during the previous year.