There are five classifications that describe graduate activities within each calendar year.
For further details, see the accompanying ELD methodology documentation.
This release uses the HEA’s Student Records System for information on new entrants to higher education. This contains information on the field of study, NFQ level and information about the learners themselves, such as gender.
The outcomes in the Key Findings are only for new entrants who did not progress from year one into year two. A number of new entrant records have a missing or invalid PPSN, and therefore cannot be matched to other administrative data sources. These new entrants are excluded from the outcomes in the Key Findings. New entrant records by student progression and PPSN validity are shown in Table 3.1 to give a complete picture of the number of new entrants in Ireland.
There are a number of databases which record participation in education. The education outcomes in the Key Findings include the following data sources in the definition for being 'in education'.
This release analyses new entrants to higher education in 2020/21 who have not re-enrolled in the following academic year, in 2021/22. Education outcomes for the 2022 calendar year were determined using an enrolments dataset provided by the HEA for the 2022/23 academic year only.
The PLSS dataset, from SOLAS, contains start and end dates for courses, and learners were considered to have education activity for the 2022 outcome year if the course spanned the 2022 calendar year.
The QQI dataset is not an enrolment dataset but a record of awards only. Thus, learners were considered to have education activity for the 2022 outcome year if they received a QQI accredited award in the 2022 calendar year.
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