Dear Mr. Fawcett

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST

(Our Ref: FOI_09-25)

Further to your request for information received on 27 April 2009, I am writing to request clarification of one aspect of your request.

In your request, you asked for figures on how many students `graduated' for a series of years. We have information readily available on the number of degrees awarded but this is slightly different than `graduates'. The former indicates a completion of a course of study and the latter is process whereby an award is actually handed out. Due to the academic year cycle, for example, courses may be completed in one year but the actual graduation may not occur until the next year.

Could you please inform me as soon as possible whether is the number of graduates that you wish to see, or the number of degrees awarded.

Please note that the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will be `suspended' until such time as we receive clarification of your request. Once that is received, the `clock' will recommence, your request considered, and you will receive the information requested within the statutory timescale, subject to the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third party. You will be informed of any exemptions or references to third parties.

I trust this is to your satisfaction and look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely

David Palmer

Information Policy & Compliance Manager

University of East Anglia