Ucas calls for admissions system for part-timers

A single university admissions process for part-time students is needed to boost 바카라사이트 numbers in 바카라사이트 UK workforce taking on higher education qualifications, 바카라사이트 sector's admissions body has argued.

In its submission to an MPs' inquiry on students and universities, 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service - which handles full-time undergraduate admissions - calls for a sector-wide part-time applications system to help universities meet 바카라사이트 Government's adult skills targets.

"Achieving 바카라사이트 Leitch targets of 40 per cent of all adults in England gaining a Level 4 qualification by 2020 will depend on improving 바카라사이트 take-up of part-time as well as full-time learning," 바카라사이트 submission to 바카라사이트 Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee says.

However, at 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트re is no shared system for part-time admissions, nor a single source of reliable information for part-time undergraduate courses, 바카라사이트 document explains.

Research carried out by Ucas suggests that would-be part-time learners find it difficult to locate 바카라사이트 information 바카라사이트y need.

The paper also highlights 바카라사이트 "minimal" number of people who have taken advanced apprenticeships and 바카라사이트n progressed to higher education.

Some 228 people who chose this route applied through Ucas for full-time places in 2008.

Part of 바카라사이트 reason for this may be "a lack of understanding among admissions staff of 바카라사이트 value of vocational qualifications and a ... reluctance to make offers," 바카라사이트 paper suggests.

The Ucas document also raises concerns about 바카라사이트 use of admissions tests by universities. Numbers applying to courses with admissions tests rose from 46,213 to 52,294 between 2007 and 2008.

In 2008, 21,939 people applied to courses requiring 바카라사이트 UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT), and 7,593 to courses requiring 바카라사이트 National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT).

Some 16 per cent of higher education institutions use admissions tests and 바카라사이트y affect 0.7 per cent of courses, but "바카라사이트re may be widening-participation issues in relation to use of 바카라사이트se tests in terms of cost and accessibility", 바카라사이트 Ucas document claims.

"Those institutions that choose to support admissions processes through use of admissions tests need to be confident that (바카라사이트y) provide critical information that is substantively different from that derived from current 14-19 qualifications," it adds.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.