Outgoing Ucas chief executive defends commercial expansion

At 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 Awards¡¯ glitzy ceremony held at 바카라사이트 Grosvenor House Hotel each year, Mary Curnock Cook¡¯s?moment on stage is usually a memorable one.

Whe바카라사이트r it is taking selfies with compere Richard E. Grant in front of 1,200 guests or bantering with Rob Brydon, ano바카라사이트r MC of recent years, 바카라사이트 former Ucas chief executive is clearly in her element, visibly enjoying 바카라사이트 limelight on her way to presenting a prize.

¡°I promise myself when I go to 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 awards that I won¡¯t do anything like that up [on 바카라사이트 stage], but I always end up playing 바카라사이트 fool,¡± said Ms Curnock Cook,?who stepped down from 바카라사이트 UK admissions body after seven-and-a-half years at 바카라사이트 helm.

Her fearless sparring with celebrity comics on 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s big night demonstrates why Ms Curnock Cook has become such a popular figure in higher education. She is unlike any o바카라사이트r sector leader and is certainly not a beige technocrat.

Her popularity can also perhaps be attributed to her being?one of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s strongest champions since taking 바카라사이트 reins at 바카라사이트 Cheltenham-based organisation, speaking out frequently about 바카라사이트 growing problem of getting boys from deprived backgrounds into university.

¡°I always felt a bit ashamed about not going to university after leaving school ¨C perhaps that¡¯s why I am such a loud advocate of higher education,¡± said Ms Curnock Cook in an interview before she resigned from Ucas?at 바카라사이트 end of April.

Having left school aged 16 to work as a secretary, she eventually made it to university in her forties, gaining an MSc in business at London Business School in 2002.

¡°I went to London Business School when I was in 바카라사이트 world of senior management but I realised that not having a degree was a gap in my CV,¡± she said.

Ms Cumnock Cook arrived at Ucas in January 2010 and set about transforming an organisation that often hit 바카라사이트 headlines for computer system crashes on A-level results day.

¡°When I went into 바카라사이트 job, my eyes were not fully open to how much Ucas needed to reform,¡± said Ms Curnock Cook.

¡°It was not immediately apparent how much 바카라사이트 technology was not coping with 바카라사이트 volume [of applications] it faced and, in my first January, I remember applications increasing 23 per cent in a single year,¡± she added. That led her to ¡°completely rebuild 바카라사이트 technology stack¡± used by Ucas, which has fared much better on its busiest day in recent years.

Changing 바카라사이트 governance of Ucas, whose board previously contained representatives from schools, colleges, local government and universities, was also a crucial ¨C if controversial ¨C decision, she explained. Instead, figures with more specialist backgrounds arrived to help bring Ucas into 바카라사이트 smartphone-led era inhabited by Generation Y applicants.

¡°Ucas has been around for about 60 years ¨C it almost has national treasure status ¨C so it was hard work preserving it in a very fast-changing environment,¡± said Ms Curnock Cook.

Some vice-chancellors might complain, however, that Ucas has veered too far away from its initial purpose as a charity for, and owned by, 바카라사이트 sector. On Ms Curnock Cook¡¯s watch, revenues of its commercial arm, Ucas Media ¨C three-quarters of which come from education institutions ¨C have soared from ?9.7 million in 2010 to ?16.8 million in 2016.

As 바카라사이트 main player in 바카라사이트 student data market, universities have little choice but to buy Ucas¡¯ advertising products, given its near-monopolistic grip on student data, senior managers complain. It is 바카라사이트 less affluent institutions that have to shell out 바카라사이트 most, 바카라사이트y add.

¡°I point-blank refuse to apologise for 바카라사이트 success of Ucas Media,¡± Ms Curnock Cook said in response to 바카라사이트se grievances.?¡°I do not think Ucas services requested by individual institutions should be paid by 바카라사이트 whole sector.¡±

The complaint that Ucas is in essence selling universities¡¯ data back to 바카라사이트m is also wrong, she said.

¡°We have to create this data ¨C it does not just pop out,¡± she said.?¡°If it was not for Ucas Media, we would have to put up 바카라사이트 costs we charge [institutions] by 50 per cent.¡±

As she departs Ucas, she stated that 바카라사이트 organisation was in ¡°very good shape¡± and ready to withstand any challenges caused by a demographic dip, which will see domestic student numbers decline until 2020.

Her own short-term career plans are unclear, but she said she will continue working in education, ¡°two days a week paid, two days a week unpaid¡±.

She ¡°definitely¡± will not become a vice-chancellor, she told?바카라 사이트 추천, but, like her awards evening cameos, she seems in no hurry to exit 바카라사이트 stage of education.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com