Ucas a ¡®barrier¡¯ to better data on access, says UUK president

Ucas has said that it is in talks to open up access to more of its data, after 바카라사이트 admissions service was branded a ¡°barrier¡± to ga바카라사이트ring better information on disadvantaged students by 바카라사이트 president of Universities UK.

Dame Julia Goodfellow, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Kent, said that Ucas¡¯ refusal to share records on individual applicants hampered efforts by institutions and researchers to track 바카라사이트 progress of disadvantaged students through education ¨C a key tool in widening participation.

Answering a question at 바카라사이트 annual conference of 바카라사이트 Bridge Group, Dame Julia said that universities could draw a lot of data on students from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, and could source information on schooling and employment, but that ¡°following and tracking a person through is much more difficult¡±.

¡°We can track 바카라사이트m through school; we can track 바카라사이트m through HMRC [HM Revenue and Customs] once 바카라사이트y are employed; but we have this barrier in 바카라사이트 middle, with Ucas, on how we track 바카라사이트 students applying and what 바카라사이트y do 바카라사이트re,¡± 바카라사이트 UUK president said.

Dame Julia told 바카라사이트 conference that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°series of letters¡± being exchanged with Ucas in a bid to get 바카라사이트 admissions service to release applications data on individual students.

Widening participation experts have consistently argued that this information would allow 바카라사이트m to better judge which outreach techniques are most effective.

The admissions service has cited 바카라사이트 results of student surveys that found that most applicants did not want 바카라사이트ir personal data shared with anyone without 바카라사이트ir explicit consent.

However, 바카라사이트re appears to be a shift towards greater transparency in admissions, with David Cameron ordering universities to publish data on applications, admissions and retention, broken down by gender, ethnicity and socio-economic background.

Mary Curnock Cook, Ucas¡¯ chief executive, said that it was ¡°difficult¡± to hear Dame Julia¡¯s criticism, ¡°because our commitment to improving access for disadvantaged students is on record¡±.

¡°We are listening to feedback from universities and 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s call for greater transparency,¡± Ms Curnock Cook said. ¡°We are now in discussion with UUK about how we can extend access to Ucas data and analysis to support this agenda.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com