National Developments
SPA's response to the UCAS Admissions Process Review
SPA welcomes the opportunity provided by the UCAS Admissions Process Review for the HE and Pre HE Sector to discuss and examine the current system and make suggestions that will improve the process of applying and being admitted to higher education in the UK. The SPA Steering Group, chaired by Professor Sir Steve Smith, considered and approved SPA's draft response.
SPA will continue to highlight the importance of ensuring that any new or improved system facilitates fair admissions and is realistic in terms of what is achievable within any timetable for reform - for HEIs, applicants, schools and colleges, awarding bodies and UCAS.
SPA would welcome UCAS's consideration of evaluating how the UCAS admissions process fits within the overall applicant experience which encompasses all the opportunities or points of interaction between higher education and a potential student. Such experience affects whether or not an individual becomes a higher education student, and indeed whether or not an individual chooses to apply to higher education in the first place. The application process is a key element of the applicant experience, and fundamental to the whole student experience.
The UK has one of the best central applications processes there is. If the system is to be changed, the benefits (that is efficiencies to both applicants and HEIs) must outweigh any costs.
SPA is keen to contribute to the discussion and exploration of how the outcomes of the consultation can be taken forward with UCAS, UUK, GuildHE, AoC, HEIs and the pre-HE sector, to ensure improvements provide a fair admissions process, aid transparency and support widening inclusion.
SPA's response can be found here UCAS APR Consultation - Jan 2012
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Created: January 2012