Students attending university in the UK

Summary

The request sought data on UK university students funded by the Isle of Man government for 2010-2013 and their subsequent return to full-time employment. The Department of Education provided the student attendance figures but refused the employment return data, citing that the information was not held and was subject to exemptions regarding future publication and policy formulation.

Key Facts

• The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded to the request on 25 July 2017.
• Student numbers for UK university courses funded by the IOM government were disclosed for three academic years.
• The request for data on students returning to the IOM in full-time employment was refused.
• The refusal was partly based on the information not being held or analyzed by the Department.
• A survey of Manx graduates was conducted, but the data is subject to exemptions until analysis and publication.

Data Disclosed

• 2010/2011 = 1,214
• 2011/2012 = 1,288
• 2012/2013 = 1,324
• 2017-07-02
• 2017-07-25
• IM93763I

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3) - Information not held
• Section 34 - Formulation of Government policy
• Section 35 - Conduction of public business
• Section 41 - Information for future publication

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

25 July 2017

Re: Freedom of Information Request – Reference Number IM93763I Your Request:-

Please provide the number of students who attended university courses in the UK either fully or partially funded by the IOM government for the following academic years; 2010/11, 2011/12 & 2012/13.

Please also provide the number of students along with the '%' which have since returned to the IOM and are in full time employment since completing University as a proportion of the total number of students who went to university for each academic year.

Department Response:-

The Department is pleased to provide you with some of the information as requested in your Freedom of Information request.

The number of students who attended university courses in the UK either fully or partially funded by the IOM government for the following academic years; 2010/11, 2011/12 & 2012/13 are as follows:

2010/2011 = 1,214 2011/2012 = 1,288 2012/2013 = 1,324

In response to the information sought in the second part of your request (the number of students along with the '%' which have since returned to the IOM and are in full time employment since completing University as a proportion of the total number of students who went to university for each academic year) I can advise that we are refusing your request.

This is partly on the grounds that a practical refusal reason applies under section 11(3) of the Act, namely that the Department of Education and Children does not hold all of the information that you have requested (as the Department is not statutorily required to hold or analyse any or all of the information requested). However you may be interested to know that the Department recently conducted a survey of Manx graduates, which sought details of graduates’ plans to return to the Isle of Man and in respect of their employment choices. Survey responses will be analysed and reported upon at summary level by the Department before the end of the year and therefore the data held (but not yet analysed) is subject to qualified exemptions under the following sections of the Act:-

Department of Education and Children

Rheynn Ynsee as Paitchyn

section 34 - formulation of Government policy section 35 - conduction of public business section 41 - information for future publication

The information provided within this response letter will also be published on the Government website in due course should you wish to revisit the information.

If you are unhappy with this response to your Freedom of Information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a Review/Complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to:
Mr Andrew Shipley, Legal and Administration Manager, Hamilton House, Peel Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 5EZ.

An electronic version of our Review/Complaint form can be found by going to https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/

Your Review/Complaint request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been conducted.

Appeal Process

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on;

1

Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act; or 2

Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.

In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision.

More detailed information on your rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at https://www.inforights.im/contact-us/

Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi