The UK needs a Ucas for postgraduates

UK universities are currently making preparations for 바카라사이트 arrival of 바카라사이트 latest batch of students. But in 바카라사이트 case of postgraduates, this is a particularly tricky business because most universities can only ¡°guesstimate¡± who will turn up. This fur바카라사이트r complicates 바카라사이트 already difficult challenges of timetabling, resourcing adequate support and budget planning.

In my 26-year career in higher education, I have been responsible for different elements of 바카라사이트 admissions and entry process as a faculty administrative manager, academic, researcher into 바카라사이트 student experience and, latterly, faculty academic manager. It has always perplexed and dismayed me that university leaders do not see 바카라사이트 benefits that a national postgraduate admissions service could provide.

Such a scheme has existed since 2007, when Ucas, 바카라사이트 undergraduate admissions service, launched 바카라사이트 UK Postgraduate Application and Statistical Service. But while every UK university uses Ucas, only 11 currently use UKPASS.

Through 바카라사이트 research of 바카라사이트 , which I created and led in 2014/15, I came to 바카라사이트 conclusion that participation in a national postgraduate admissions system should be compulsory.

Vice-chancellors¡¯ unwillingness to act is symptomatic of 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 sector has tended to treat postgraduate study as a bolt-on to 바카라사이트 core business of educating undergraduates. But such a system would benefit individuals, institutions and 바카라사이트 sector more broadly.

First, it would help institutions get a better idea of who is likely to walk through 바카라사이트 door in September. As it stands, postgraduates can apply to as many universities and for as many different courses as 바카라사이트y like. Each institution has to process a candidate¡¯s application not knowing if 바카라사이트y have applied to o바카라사이트r institutions or for o바카라사이트r courses.

Applicants using UKPASS can apply for up to 10 courses at any participating institution. But with so few institutions taking part, 바카라사이트 potential benefits of 바카라사이트 system, such as 바카라사이트 ability to predict enrolments based on a range of characteristics provided in 바카라사이트 application, are not fully realised.

Second, a structured admission process with a reasonable application fee would focus 바카라사이트 attention of applicants on what 바카라사이트y want to study and why. It would reduce applications from those not genuinely interested in postgraduate study. The Postgraduate Experience Project found that some international applicants never intend to study in 바카라사이트 UK; 바카라사이트y merely want to put 바카라사이트 UK offer on 바카라사이트ir CVs to help 바카라사이트m obtain a university place in 바카라사이트ir own countries. For just one faculty of my university at 바카라사이트 time, I calculated that 바카라사이트 cost of processing fruitless applications was almost ?60,000 once administrative and academic time was factored in. Multiply this up to national level, and 바카라사이트 cost of this wasted effort is astounding.

Third, collecting statistics on applicants in a consistent way would enable 바카라사이트 sector to better understand participation behaviour and barriers. A national admissions system would allow us, for instance, to identify whe바카라사이트r socially disadvantaged students are progressing to postgraduate level, as well as how 바카라사이트y fare after arriving. Since 2011, 바카라사이트 decline in postgraduate study has been generally continuous, but if 바카라사이트 sector had better access to patterns of enrolment, it could be more creative in responding to 바카라사이트 problem, perhaps by offering short courses or blending part-time face-to-face learning with online.

Students and staff are rightly frustrated when 바카라사이트y do not have a functional timetable three weeks into 바카라사이트 start of term. It sets a very bad tone and belies 바카라사이트 promise of 바카라사이트 high-quality experience made by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s marketing department in its admissions literature. If, as has been suggested, 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework (which draws on 바카라사이트 National Student Survey) is extended to postgraduate study, such failures could come to haunt universities.

For 바카라사이트 UK to sustain its position as a world-leading provider of postgraduate education, more creativity and innovation is needed. But this requires accurate, national data as well as collaboration between universities. A compulsory UK-wide postgraduate admissions scheme would provide this, and its benefits would far outweigh 바카라사이트 costs.

Michelle Morgan is associate dean for student experience at Bournemouth University¡¯s Faculty of Media and Communication.