June 2020
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference is bringing together key policymakers and stakeholders - including universities, colleges, schools, awarding bodies and students' groups - to discuss the future shape of the university admissions system.
The seminar comes with uncertainly surrounding how this year’s admissions system with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Delegates will discuss how universities can work with schools to ensure that students are not disadvantaged and that the system is stabilised.
It also takes place in the context of:
- The Office for Students’ (OfS) consultation, now paused, on its wide-ranging review of the system - including the possibility of moving to a post-qualifications admissions (PQA) model;
- A separate major sector-led review of the system, with initial research from UUK indicating two in five students would make different degree choices if they could make choices again; and
- Growing concern around the potential use of unconditional offers in order to maintain student numbers in higher education with speculation that a student number control cap for the coming academic year could be introduced as a result.
- The current moratorium on the use of unconditional offers by HEIs, implemented by the Office for Students’ (OfS) in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key areas for discussion:
- Impact of the pandemic on the admissions system - how to ensure that students applying to university this year are not disadvantaged and that the system introduced for this year is stable;
- Reform - options in light of concerns about the growing use of unconditional offers - including the potential effect on student motivation in their examinations;
- Inclusivity - including fees, support and guidance, the impact on disadvantaged applicants, as well as the personal statement, preparing for interviews, and accessibility for disabled students;
- Transparency - tackling concerns surrounding advertised entry requirements, varying application assessment methods such as portfolios and interviews, and false marketing claims by universities;
- Student mental wellbeing - minimising the overall impact of the admissions and clearing process;
- Post-Qualification Admissions (PQA) - assessing the option, including potential impact on participation for the most high-tariff courses - and practicalities, such as changes to examination timetables, marking and delivering grades to students, and the application process itself including interviews, offering and acceptance of places, and arrangements for student accommodation; and
- International examples - what might be learned from other admissions systems to inform policy in the UK.
The agenda:
- Key themes in the Universities UK fair admissions review;
- The university admissions system as it stands - a context and responding to the reviews;
- Reforming the existing system - addressing unconditional offers, widening participation and student information;
- Lessons learned from comparing admissions systems around the world; and
- Examining the case for a post-qualifications admissions (PQA) system.
Policy officials attending
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stake holders. Places have been reserved by a range of officials from the Department for Education.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
