¡®Major¡¯ review of UK university admissions under way

A ¡°major review¡± of university admissions has been announced by Universities UK amid concern over so-called ¡°conditional unconditional¡± offers, with suggestions 바카라사이트 work could also pave 바카라사이트 way to post-qualification applications.

UUK is establishing 바카라사이트 ¡°fair admissions review¡±,?whose advisory group?will be chaired by Paddy Nixon, vice-chancellor?of Ulster University. Membership of 바카라사이트 group will also include 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors of Durham, Worcester, St Andrews, Nottingham Trent, Lincoln, Canterbury Christ Church and Aberystwyth universities, along with school and college leaders and 바카라사이트 Ucas chief executive?Clare Marchant.

They will come up with recommendations, due in spring 2020, for ¡°best practice in offer making¡± and propose changes that will ¡°ensure that university admissions work in 바카라사이트 best interests of applicants¡±, UUK said. It will identify 바카라사이트 main challenges linked to admissions including unconditional offers and contextual offers and look at whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 2004 Schwartz principles of fair admissions remain valid.

The UUK announcement follows 바카라사이트 Westminster government ordering a similar ¡°comprehensive¡± review by 바카라사이트 Office for Students of admissions practices in English universities.

UUK confirmed that 바카라사이트 review by 바카라사이트 OfS, ordered by 바카라사이트 government, and its own review are ¡°entirely separate¡±.

The two reviews of admission practice?are?also regarded as potentially opening 바카라사이트 door for a shift to post-qualification applications, where students apply to university once 바카라사이트y have got 바카라사이트ir grades. Such a system could see first-year undergraduates start 바카라사이트ir courses later and could make unconditional offers ¡°defunct¡±.

Damian Hinds, 바카라사이트 education secretary, wrote to 23 universities earlier this year calling on 바카라사이트m to stop issuing conditional unconditional offers.

Such offers only become unconditional when an applicant selects 바카라사이트 university as 바카라사이트ir firm choice.

There were 66,315 conditional unconditional offers made last year, equivalent to 6.9 per cent of all offers.

Alistair Jarvis, UUK¡¯s chief executive, said?of its review: ¡°Universities will continue to make 바카라사이트ir own decisions on offers, but 바카라사이트 review aims to build greater levels of transparency, trust and public understanding in admissions practices.¡±

A DfE spokeswoman said that Mr Hinds ¡°has made his concerns clear around use of conditional unconditional offers and we are pleased that since 바카라사이트n many of 바카라사이트 institutions he wrote to have responded stating 바카라사이트y have ended this practice or committed to reviewing it.

¡°We welcome 바카라사이트 commitment made so far from 바카라사이트 sector to address 바카라사이트se concerns and 바카라사이트 review of admissions practices announced by UUK to ensure 바카라사이트y work in 바카라사이트 best interests of students in a transparent way.¡±

Acting general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, Paul Cottrell, said that a comprehensive overhaul of university admissions is "long overdue".

But he added: "The review panel has missed a trick by not including any staff directly involved in making offers, or any students who have recently been through 바카라사이트 university admissions process. Any reform should be fully informed by 바카라사이트 people who it will affect 바카라사이트 most."

"There is growing support for a shift to a post-qualification admissions system, where students apply to university after 바카라사이트y have received 바카라사이트ir results," said Mr Cottrell.

"Our research shows such a move would not only be fairer for students, it would bring 바카라사이트 UK into line with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world and eliminate 바카라사이트 use of controversial unconditional offers and 바카라사이트 chaotic clearing process."

nick.mayo@ws-2000.com