History
RCU has been providing and developing research and consultancy to the education and training sector since 1987 and has established a national reputation for data analysis and the development of strategic recommendations.
RCU was set up in its current format by a consortium of colleges in 1993, at the time of FE incorporation, in order to provide a specialist research facility for the sector. The client base quickly spread both geographically and in terms of client type. RCU is now a free-standing company.
We have been recognised as an Investor in People since 1994 and in 1997 we were elected to membership of the British Market Research Association (now merged with the Market Research Society). During 2001 RCU became one of the first companies in the country to successfully undergo assessment for the market research industry kitemark quality standard, BS7911 and this was repeated in 2007 for the new international standard ISO 20252.
All RCU work is covered by the Market Research Society codes of conduct and the company is registered under the Data Protection Act. All staff and Associates undergo Criminal Records Bureau screening because of potential contact with learners (or personal data regarding learners) under the age of 18 and learners from vulnerable adult groups. Our internal quality systems have achieved recognition under ISO 20252 (the international market research industry kitemark).
