High Fliers Research

High Fliers Research is a British research consultancy known for annual surveys of graduate employment, employer branding, and graduate recruitment trends. It produces influential reports used by universities, employers, and media, and is cited in coverage related to recruiting by firms such as Barclays, KPMG, PwC, Deloitte, and HSBC. The organisation’s outputs inform policy discussions involving stakeholders like Department for Education (UK), Universities UK, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and major employers across sectors including BBC, British Airways, Rolls-Royce, and GlaxoSmithKline.

History

High Fliers Research was founded in the 1990s amid growing interest in graduate recruitment trends during a period that included events such as the Dot-com bubble and the expansion of Higher education in the United Kingdom. Early work drew attention from newspapers like The Times, The Guardian, and Financial Times and from broadcasters including ITV and Sky News. Over time the organisation expanded its annual publications to cover employer rankings, salary surveys, and graduate aspirations, engaging with academic institutions like University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, and Imperial College London. Its timeline intersects with policy shifts associated with figures such as Gordon Brown and reforms under administrations led by Tony Blair and Theresa May.

Research and Activities

High Fliers Research conducts employer surveys, graduate destination studies, and recruitment market analysis, producing flagship lists and reports used by stakeholders including British Airways, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Lloyds Banking Group. Methodologies reference sampling frames similar to those used by organisations such as Office for National Statistics and draw comparisons with international studies from bodies like Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and reports cited by European Commission briefings. The organisation runs events and presentations attended by representatives from University College London, King's College London, University of Manchester, and professional bodies including Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services and Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Its data products have been used alongside rankings produced by The Sunday Times and research from institutes such as Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Impact and Contributions

Reports by High Fliers Research have influenced recruitment strategies at firms such as Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, Siemens, and Rolls-Royce Holdings and have been cited in policy debates involving Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and parliamentary committees including the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee. Media citations often reference rankings alongside commentary from figures such as editors at The Independent, columnists at The Telegraph, and analysts appearing on BBC Radio 4. The organisation’s longitudinal data has been used in academic studies at institutions like University of Edinburgh and University of Warwick and in reports by think tanks including Resolution Foundation and Policy Exchange to explore labor market entry and employer brand evolution. Its employer league tables have become benchmarks referenced by recruitment units at Oxford University Careers Service and Cambridge University Careers Service.

Funding and Partnerships

High Fliers Research obtains revenue through commissioned research, bespoke surveys, and report sales, collaborating with corporate partners such as Accenture, EY, Siemens Healthineers, British Telecom, and Vodafone. It partners with higher education institutions including University of Leeds, University of Bristol, and University of Birmingham for data collection and dissemination, and works with industry bodies like Confederation of British Industry and British Chambers of Commerce on events and briefings. Funding models resemble those used by consultancies that provide market intelligence to entities such as McKinsey & Company and Boston Consulting Group.

Controversies and Criticism

Critics have questioned employer league tables and methodological transparency, echoing debates familiar from controversies over rankings produced by Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings. Journalists at outlets such as Channel 4 News and commentators from organisations like Which? have scrutinised sampling frames, response rates, and potential commercial influence from sponsor partners including large recruiters such as PwC and KPMG. Academic critics from London School of Economics and University of Oxford have argued for more open datasets comparable to those held by Higher Education Statistics Agency to enable independent verification, while student groups at institutions like University of Manchester and University of Birmingham have raised concerns about the effect of rankings on student choice and employer competition.

Category:Research organisations in the United Kingdom