teachers’ and advisors’ conference university of leicester - 27 june 2008 recruitment and...

Teachers’ and Advisors’ ConferenceUniversity of Leicester - 27 June 2008

Recruitment and Admissions to Higher Education:

Patterns and Issues

Anthony McClaran

Chief Executive

Overview

Setting the scene UCAS today Admissions trends

Changes and challenges

Questions and answers

Setting the scene

Established central role in UK admissions providing wide-ranging, impartial service to schools, applicants and HEIs

UCAS is the central application agency for full-time Undergraduate degree courses Foundation degree courses HND courses HNC courses Diploma of Higher Education courses Certificate of Higher Education courses

Setting the scene

UCAS today

“The UCAS system is sophisticated and allows for many different routes.

Its advantages for both applicants and institutions are that it eliminates duplication of effort, and provides a fair and consistent framework within which both applicants and institutions can compete.”

Wikipedia

Setting the scene

1966 2007

90,900 applicants 534,495

44,500 acceptances 413,430

63 institutions 311

GTTR – CUKAS – UKPASS

Information and advice CPD Programme

Marketing services Publications

UCAS Card Website

Data & statistics Consultancy

Liaison with sector bodies/ Conferences & conventionsDevelopment of HE policy

Qualifications& curriculum development

Setting the scene

Setting the scene

Source: UCAS Statistics Unit

Admissions levels

UCAS applicants and acceptances 1996-2007

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Year

Applicants

Acceptances

Applicants by subject areas

2002 2005 2007

Medicine & dentistry 13,644 22,039 21,393

Subjects allied to medicine 26,082 41,441 41,696

Social studies 25,386 37,109 39,416

Creative arts and design 48,365 59,547 60,988

Physical sciences (including physical geography, geology & environmental

studies) 13,635 14,384 15,567

Linguistics & Classics 11,086 12,907 13,177

Maths & computer sciences 34,136 26,250 25,105


Setting the scene


Overview

Demographic change

The Leitch Report

14 - 19 curriculum

Foundation degrees

Differentiation

International recruitment

Post Qualification Application (PQA)

600,000

650,000

700,000

750,000

800,000

850,000

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

20

10

20

11

20

12

20

13

20

14

20

15

20

16

20

17

20

18

20

19

20

20

20

21

20

22

20

23

20

24

20

25

20

26

20

27

20

28

Year

Po

pu

lati

on

Co

un

t


Source: The Knowledge Partnership

Demographic change

2005 to 2028 projected 18 year old population


The Leitch Report “Prosperity for all in the global economy:

world class skills” (December 2006)

4 objectives for 2020

i. 95% of adults to achieve the basic skills of functional literacy and numeracy

ii. More than 90% of adults qualified to at least Level 2

iii. Shifting the balance of intermediate skills from Level 2 to Level 3

iv. Exceeding 40% of adults qualified to Level 4 and above


Objective iv: Exceeding 40% of adults qualified to Level 4 and above

Up from 29% in 2005 with a commitment to continue progression

Unlikely to be achieved by further expansion of current model of HE

Rebalance the priorities of HEIs to make available relevant, flexible and responsive provision that meets the high skills needs of employers and their staff


Highest qualification held by young accepted applicants to full-time degree courses, 2004 entry (% of applicants accepted with these different qualifications/combinations at different types of institutions)

Qualification Russell Group university

Other Pre-92 university

Post-92 university

HE or FE college

L3 voc qual (BTEC, AVCE)

3.2 11.2 19.9 30.1

GCE A Level only 71.2 64.5 58.9 49.1

L3 qual but no GCE A Level

2.8 7.5 11.4 17.0

L3 voc – BTEC, AVCE A/AS or AVCE double, but no GCE A Level

0.5 3.7 8.6 13.1

Numbers 60,573 67,756 184,324 20,865

Source: UCAS special analysis provided for Action on Access


14-19 curriculum

A* A level grades

Diplomas

How will HE react to Diplomas?

14-19 HE Engagement Project Board


Foundation Degrees

Continue to rise in popularity but still only account for low percentage of applicants to HE

No. of applicants by 24 March 2006: 23,506

No. of applicants by 24 March 2008: 30,846

% increase (2008 over 2006):

31.2%



Source: Joint Council for Qualifications Provisional GCE A Level Results 2006

100%

95%

90%

85%

80%

75%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

’92 ’94 ’96 ’98 ’00 ’02 ’04 ’06 ’07

96.6%

25%

A - E

A

Differentiation

Percentage of A level Scripts Achieving Grades


Differentiation

14-19 curriculum changes

New forms of evidence

Unit grades

Admissions tests



Numbers increasing year-on-year Fraud and verification Financial implications Perception that international students take HEFCE-

funded places Competition from other countries providing HE UCAS International Board



Overseas acceptances Area of domicile

2001 2003 2005 2006 2007

Home 325,472 333,942 360,244 345,564 364,544

EU 12,175 12,572 17,247 18,280 20,661

Other overseas

20,392 27,793 27,878 27,046 28,225

Total 358,041 374,307 405,369 390,890 413,430




Country 2003 2005 2006 2007

China 6,114 4,848 4,502 5,058

Ireland 2,874 3,186 2,675 2,572

France 2,029 2,168 2,388 2,559

Hong Kong 2,200 2,136 2,360 2,546

Nigeria 1,675 3,187 2,078 1,913

Germany 1,675 2,002 2,077 2,226

Cyprus 782 1,724 2,022 2,593

Malaysia 1,871 1,895 1,698 1,942

Poland 85 1,034 1,555 1,973

Greece 1,690 1,498 1,521 1,632

Overseas acceptances by top ten contributing countries




Present system based on predicted examination results

Implementation of PQA long-delayed by logistical and

political issues

Supported by Schwartz

“The Steering Group wholeheartedly supports a move

to PQA” Professor Steven Schwartz - September 2004

Consultation process

Delivery Partnership with Steering Group

Future challenges and changes


What are we trying to do with admissions?

“The need to balance technical against human consideration has been a continuous theme in our office and committee considerations”

Ronald Kay, General Secretary, UCCA, 1985

Freedom v. Assurance (mutual commitment)

Institutions’ interest v. Applicants’ interest

‘Gathered field’ v. ‘First come, first served’

Speed of processing v. Time for good decision making

Future challenges and changes


Delivery Partnership: Sector wide representation Steering group Initial proposals:

i. Choices reduced - 6 down to 5

ii. Re-brand and re-launch Extra and Entry Profiles Longer-term proposals:

i. Adjustment period from 2009

ii. Provision of feedback

iii. Simplification of Art and Design admissions

Any Questions

??Anthony McClaran, Chief Executive

Rosehill, New Barn LaneCheltenham GL52 3LZt: +44 (0) 1242 544990

e: [email protected]

Teachers’ and Advisors’ Conference University of Leicester - 27 June 2008

teachers’ and advisors’ conference university of leicester - 27 june 2008 recruitment and...

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