The federal government wants to update the Higher Education Information Management System to take advantage of improving technology and address changes since the last audit, in 2004. In particular the departments of Education and Training and Social Security propose:

Replacing entering student data multiple times with a single-entry system. This would reduce the overall “reporting burden” and make student data available six months earlier. It could also end providers having to report HEIMS data weekly to DSS.

Replacing the three higher education student identifiers with a single ID code. The VET system’s unique student ID, “provides a viable model of a more robust identifier that could be allocated.”

Ending collection of 30 data elements, “that no longer add value to program management, statistics or data analysis.” This could be contentious, with a case already being made for the retention of one element, on parent education attainment.

Clean up data prone to “poor reporting practices and/or misinterpretation of what is required.”

Only report raw ATARS, subject to the Higher Education Standards Panel’s report.

Responses to the proposals are due February 9.