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- New Matched Comparator Group Tool Demonstration Video Now Available
We are excited to share progress on the new Matched Comparator Group Tool, which is being launched as part of the Summer 2026 Update to the system
This new tool, which forms part of HEAT’s commitment in the Beyond the Barracks project, is designed to help you evaluate outreach activities more robustly, supporting the commitments that some of our members have made in their Access and Participation Plan.
It has been released as part of the Summer 2026 Update to the database and therefore is available for members to explore on our DEMO database. It was also showcased in the recent webinar which members can access using the link below.
Frequently Asked Questions
The webinar generated various FAQs which can be accessed on our Summer 2026 Update webpage using the link below.
We envisage that the tool will be available in the LIVE database in late July/early August 2026 to allow time for thorough testing with members. If your organisation is interested in testing the tool please do get in touch.
Why This Tool Matters
Evaluation is critical for demonstrating the impact of your work. The Matched Comparator Group Report makes it easier to create matched comparator groups, enabling you to assess outcomes for your participants against similar students.
Using a quasi-experimental method, such as matched comparator groups, can strengthen your evaluation evidence base, and writing up your results may help you to meet Office for Students regulatory expectations for publishing robust evaluation findings (for instance by publishing on the Higher Education Evaluation Library (HEEL). For more information on the benefit of using of matched comparator groups see our Comparators Working Group Resources in the File Store (members only).
How It Works
The tool is part of the Reports functionality and works as follows:
- Select your participant group – e.g. by ‘Programme Title’, ‘Descriptor’, ‘Student HEAT ID’, or ‘Activity ID’
- Choose a pool of potential comparator Students
- Define the matching variables
- The system will then perform matching based on your selections
- You will receive an export file showing participants and their matched comparators
Matching Variable Options
When selecting matching variables, you can choose from a range of fields found under the General, Education, Personal, and Geography tabs on the Student record. Because matching relies on the data you have entered for each student, the variables available to you will depend on the information you have collected.
Shaping Development Together
We are grateful for the help members of the Comparators Working Group and the Research Group have given us thus far in shaping this tool – we envisage further consultation with them as the tool develops.
If you would like to learn more about this exciting development, are interested in testing or have any questions, please contact HEAT Support.
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