On 22 May 2006, the Government issued a UK-Wide response to the consultation on Improving the Higher Education Applications Process. The response recommends some early reforms to the applications process and proposes moving towards a system of Post-Qualifications Applications (PQA) by 2012.
Launch date: 09 September 2005
Closing date: 05 December 2005
Date of response: 22 May 2006
Background
The project arose from a recommendation in an independent review of university admissions Fair Admissions to Higher Education – September 2004. The work was led by Sir Alan Wilson, Director General for Higher Education, and conducted through a consultation group of key stakeholders, with similar arrangements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The public consultation exercise ran from 9 September to 5 December 2005. It proposed a series of reforms to existing systems by 2008/09 and offered 2 models for a PQA system in the longer term. The response makes a number of recommendations for the sector to implement for 2008/09 with a view to working towards post-qualification applications by 2012.
The Government recommends that the sector establishes a Delivery Partnership to lead a number of reforms that will:
- make it easier for students to understand the entry requirements of the courses available
- provide more and better information on which HEIs can base their admissions decisions
- involve students submitting, and HEIs considering, fewer initial applications, thereby reducing administrative burdens
- ensure applications are considered on the basis of a gathered field, creating a more equal chance for all students and reducing the temptation for them to place early, ill-researched applications
- give those who have failed to gain an offer with their initial applications better opportunities to continue applying in search of a place
- result in fewer students needing to enter Clearing; and
- offer those students who have achieved higher grades than required by their first firm conditional offer the chance to seek an alternative place that best matches their aspirations and circumstances
- make it easier for students to understand the entry requirements of the courses available
The Government recommends a further review in 2010/11 to facilitate the objective of moving towards PQA by 2012.
Contact details
If your enquiry is related to the policy content of the consultation you can contact Elaine Underwood on:
Consultation downloads
