We have been giving some consideration recently to administrative and self-reported measures of academic achievement. Some useful context for these efforts is provided by a HETAC publication from 2003: "An Analysis of Degree, Diploma and Certificate Awards in Ireland, 1998 to 2002". The report was prepared by Dr. Cathal Walsh from Insight Statistical Consulting, and the analysis is done on data provided FETAC, DIT and the HEA. FETAC is the body responsible for awarding qualifications across the IT sector (except for DIT), while DIT and the seven universities award their own qualifications. Data on awards made across the seven universities is collected and compiled by the HEA.
Some interesting key points from the report are the following:
• The distribution of classes of awards received differs across discipline areas. "This difference is most notable in the case of H1 awards, and in the discipline areas of Engineering and Science."
• There is substantial real variation between institutions in the proportion of each class awarded.
• The proportion of higher classes of awards increased over the period (1998-2002).
Some suggestions are also offered as to why institutions may have a different rate of award classifications: "...the intake into a particular course may be quite specialised. A course may have a high number of students settling for a pass degree, or else a high drop out rate. Any of these, together with other issues, will influence the overall proportion of awards in each class."
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