SunGard Higher Education has a close working relationship with HESA, UCAS, SLC, UCISA and are active members of many other HE bodies and sub groups such as the HESA Student Record Review - Technical Sub-group. SunGard Higher Education invests significant time to enhance statutory requirements and has a dedicated development team based in the UK with over 100 years combined experience in higher education. Members of the team regularly attend Higher Education and Technical seminars to ensure SunGard Higher Education is kept up to date with proposed requirements and changes to our clients needs.
SunGard Higher Education European User Group (SEUG)
The SunGard Higher Education European User Group (SEUG) is a community of institutions in UK, Ireland and Europe which have an affinity based on their use of various SGHE products and services. The group has a wide range of members ranging from business schools to top red brick universities to colleges and vocational training institutes of all sizes. The members, who range in their roles from registrars to database technical staff, meet regularly to share their knowledge and experience in the best use of SunGard's systems. The highlight of the year is a 2-3 day user conference hosted by one of the members. The user group is self funding and managed entirely by the membership and various committees. A single representative of each institution in the community sits on the EAG (European Advisory Group) which meets frequently in the year to advise SunGard on strategy and various aspects of products and services.
www.hesa.ac.uk
HESA was setup in 1993 following a Government White Paper ‘Higher Education: A New Framework’, which called for more coherence in higher education statistics. HESA is the central source for higher education statistics.
SunGard Higher Education produces and maintains the ability to deliver the Student based returns from the Banner Student Information System, including the Destination of Leavers, the Student/Module and Combined returns and the Non Credit Baring report. Currently underway is the new HESA re-development for the XML Schema based Student return.
www.ucas.com
UCAS (Universities & Colleges Admissions Service) is the UK central organisation through which applications are processed for entry to full-time first degrees, HNDs and university diplomas. The mission of UCAS is to promote a partnership between prospective students and universities and colleges.
SunGard Higher Education provides fully functional interfaces to the UCAS systems and maintains and enhances them regularly throughout the cycle in accordance with requirements from UCAS.
www.slc.co.uk
The Student Loans Company (SLC) administers student financial support to eligible students in higher education in the United Kingdom. It is wholly owned by the UK Government and operates within the policy context set by the Government, Scottish ministers and the legislative framework.
SunGard Higher Education provides fully functional interfaces with the SLC’s BACS FIRST scheme for Student Support Attendance Request and Confirmation (SSAR and SSAC), Attendance Fee (ACR and ATEX) and Remittance Files, Tuition Fee Position Report (TFPR) and also the Higher Education Bursaries & Scholarships Scheme (HEBSS) detailed below.
HEBSS
The Higher Education Bursaries & Scholarships Scheme is being managed by the Student Loans Company (SLC). At present, only Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges based in England and Northern Ireland are affected, if they have Access Agreements. However, the Education Departments in Scotland and Wales are examining the implications for higher education in their own areas.
To find out more about the bursary & scholarship administration scheme, please contact bursary_enquiries@slc.co.uk
www.ucisa.ac.uk
UCISA represents almost all the major UK universities and higher education colleges and has a growing membership among further education colleges, other educational institutions and commercial organisations interested in information systems and technology in UK education, providing a network of contacts and a powerful lobbying voice. SunGard Higher Education is a member of UCISA, and supports the Annual CISG conference.
www.sroc.ac.uk
SROC (Student Record Officers Conference) is not a representative body, it does not have a fixed constituency, and it does not have a membership determined by subscription. Anyone who has an active interest in student records may attend the conference, seminars and workshops. The annual conference provides an increasingly well-respected focus for the consideration of student-related matters. SROC is utilised by HESA as a means of disseminating information and receiving feedback.
SunGard Higher Education supports the SROC Annual Conference.
www.alt.ac.uk
ALT (Association for Learning Technology) is a professional and scholarly association which seeks to bring together all those with an interest in the use of learning technology.
SunGard Higher Education is a corporate member of ALT.