The ethical principles of the career monitoring survey

THE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE CAREER MONITORING SURVEY OF UNIVERSITIES OF APPLIED SCIENCES

(Approved by the rectors’ meeting of the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences Arene on 9 June 2020, the Committee on Education on 27 May 2020)

The rectors’ meeting of the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences Arene has approved the ethical principles of carrying out the career monitoring survey of universities of applied sciences. The ethical principles define the framework for executing the joint career monitoring survey of universities of applied sciences.

 

Purpose of the career monitoring survey

The purpose of the career monitoring survey is to monitor the working career and labour market situation of graduates from universities of applied sciences (alumni) and to and to benefit the information obtained from the survey at the beginning of the working career, the development of education and study guidance and counselling.

Information induced from the survey results is available to applicants, students and graduates for the purpose of planning their studies and careers.

Selected questions from the career monitoring survey are also utilized as qualitative employment indicators in the funding model of universities of applied sciences.

 

Execution of the career monitoring survey

On 12 December 2019, the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences Arene has established a career monitoring network to develop and execute the career monitoring survey. The Committee on Education of the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences Arene steers the operations of the network. Based on the proposal of the career monitoring network, the Committee on Education appoints a working group of 4 to 6 people from different universities of applied sciences, which is responsible for the practical implementation of the survey and reporting the results.

The shared contents of the nationwide survey can be edited only by a joint decision of the career monitoring network. However, universities of applied sciences are allowed to add extra UAS-specific questions to the end of the survey.

The career monitoring survey aims to collect subjective experiences of the responding graduates on education and employment.

 

Collecting the survey data and communications to the target group during the survey

Based on the proposal of the career monitoring team, the Committee on Education verifies the principles which steer the practical implementation of the survey. These define how the target group of the survey is approached during the survey and verify the start and end time of the survey.

 

Ethical principles

The method of data collecting is openly described to both the respondents and users of the feedback information. Both the purpose of using the survey data and the fact that answers bring monetary value to the university in question, are described to the respondents. The connection between the survey and the funding model of universities of applied sciences should be mentioned.

Answering the survey is voluntary and the target group is in no way pressurized to respond. No reward is paid nor are any gifts given for answering the survey. Specific raffles among the respondents should not be organized by individual universities of applied sciences.

During the survey, each university of applied sciences may personally contact the respondents a maximum of two times. This is in addition to the centralized emails and text messages sent to all respondents by the CSC.

Technical instructions are provided for the respondents for answering the survey (e.g., logging in the survey, filling in the electronic form).

The data is collected, stored and used responsibly by respecting the rights of the respondents and protecting the privacy of individuals. At every stage of the data collection, the appropriate laws, decrees and instructions are complied with. The respondents are always informed of these issues in connection with the data collection.

The survey results are reported systematically and responsibly and by adhering to the General Data Protection Regulation and good scientific conduct. The higher education institutions inform those respondents and alumni who have left their contact information of the survey results. The personal data register, which is compiled for providing the information is not linked to the survey data, nor is it utilized for other purposes without the respondent’s permission.

Universities of applied sciences may utilize their own results by adhering to good communications and marketing practices and the purposes of use mentioned in the privacy notice.