Suraj Modhvadiya, Policy Adviser (International Recruitment and Immigration), UUKi, discusses the importance of the Graduate Outcomes survey, how the data is used to inform sector and government discussions, and why greater international graduate participation is essential for shaping future policy.
International higher education continues to make a profound contribution to the UK’s universities, economy and global influence. Yet questions about student migration and the Graduate Route are not going away. In this climate, credible and robust data on international graduate outcomes has never been more important.
As a sector, we need clear evidence to demonstrate the value of a UK education and the impact our graduates make, here and around the world. That’s about more than where graduates go and what they do. It’s also about how they reflect on their experience, how they see their qualification, and how well it prepares them for the future. The Graduate Outcomes survey remains one of the single most powerful tools for capturing all of this.
Run by Jisc on behalf of the sector, the Graduate Outcomes survey is the UK’s largest annual social survey of its kind. It tracks graduate destinations and reflections 15 months after completing a course, providing a rich evidence base at national, institutional and subject level. Already central to informing careers services and alumni strategies, the survey is now a critical resource in shaping debates about post-study work, migration policy, and the UK’s global education offer.
At Universities UK International (UUKi), we draw directly on Graduate Outcomes data to inform our engagement with government. As the Graduate Route comes under continued scrutiny, we need compelling data that evidences international graduates’ contributions to the UK labour market, communities, employers, and global networks. This data also helps dispel common myths, such as the assumption that most international graduates remain in the UK long term or displace domestic workers.
International student participation in the survey remains lower than it could be, particularly among postgraduate taught cohorts, who make up the bulk of international enrolments. Improving this is a shared challenge for the UK higher education sector.
While many universities already make great efforts to promote the survey, more tailored communication and targeted outreach, especially for international cohorts, is becoming increasingly important. This means joined up working across alumni teams, international offices, employability services, and compliance staff to ensure graduates understand the purpose of the survey and feel supported to complete it.
In our Powering the engine report, which explores the non-financial value of international students, we called for better international graduate data, including more consistent destination tracking and longitudinal outcomes. The Graduate Outcomes Survey is central to delivering this ambition. The larger the dataset, the stronger the evidence base to protect and enhance the international student offer.
We’ve already seen what’s possible. Our Gone international: a new generation report draws directly on Graduate Outcomes data, showing that UK-domiciled students who took part in an outbound mobility were 12 percentage points more likely to get a first-class degree, and 8.6 percentage points more likely to be in graduate-level employment than their peers.
Insights like these have informed ongoing policy conversations and helped strengthen the case for investment in mobility programmes such as the Turing Scheme. They also complement the evidence base used in discussions around the UK’s participation in Erasmus+.
However, there remains significant untapped potential in the international data. As other countries sharpen their post-study offer and compete for global talent, the UK needs to understand how its international alumni are doing: where they are working, how well they’re using what they’ve learned in the UK, and whether they would recommend their university to others. This intelligence should inform not only marketing and recruitment efforts, but also compliance planning, student support services and long-term internationalisation strategies.
HESA, part of Jisc, has just released the latest dataset from the class of 2022-23 as accredited official statistics. View the range of summary statistics and open data tables on HESA’s website.
The Graduate Outcomes survey will continue to play a vital role in shaping the future of international education in the UK. We encourage all universities to promote the Graduate Outcomes survey to their international graduates. Jisc has provided a range of branded marketing materials to support this effort.
We must ensure international graduate voices are heard, and that future policy reflects the real value, experience and contribution of international students to the UK and beyond.