QAA supports transparency in admissions to higher education
Peter Williams, Chief Executive at QAA, has welcomed the Secretary of State’s call for transparency in admissions to higher education.
QAA’s Code of practice, Section 10: Admissions to higher education, sets out what institutions are expected to do to ensure their admissions procedures are fair, transparent, and properly implemented. QAA checks that these principles are being followed in universities and colleges across the UK through its institutional review processes.
The Code of practice expects that 'selection policies and procedures are clear and followed fairly… Transparent entry requirements, both academic and non-academic, are used to underpin judgements made during the selection process'. It also advises that 'institutions conduct their admission processes efficiently, effectively and courteously according to fully documented operational procedures that are readily accessible to all those involved in the admissions process'.
The Secretary of State also said in his speech that the time was right ‘to bring together higher education institutions’ widening participation and fair access policies, including transparent admissions system, into a single document’. QAA supports that initiative and believes that the Code of practice provides the basis for institutions to produce just such a single document.
Notes to Editors
For further information, please contact Katie Sharrock, Project Officer – Communications, on 01452 557074 or k.sharrock@qaa.ac.uk
1 In his speech to the HEFCE conference, the Secretary of State called for ‘a published admissions policy in each university being able to show that it has measures in hand to equip all those involved in admissions to implement the policy accurately and fairly’.
2 The Code of practice, Section 10: Admissions to higher education can be accessed at www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeOfPractice/section10
This section of the Code of practice was last reviewed in 2006 to take account of the Schwartz report, Fair admissions to higher education: recommendations to good practice.
3 The Code of practice is made up of 10 sections and provides guidance on maintaining quality and standards for higher education institutions subscribing to QAA. It is part of the nationally recognised Academic Infrastructure, which provides a means of describing academic standards in UK higher education and allows for diversity and innovation within academic programmes offered by higher education. Further information about the Academic Infrastructure can be accessed at www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure
4 QAA has today published Outcomes from institutional audit, Institutions' arrangements to support widening participation and access to higher education: www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/institutionalAudit/outcomes/series2/SupportForWidening.asp
The paper shows that 'a substantial number of institutions were making good progress in implementing widening participation strategies… features of good practice relating to the provision of support for students in the context of widening participation and improving retention are identified'. This paper is based on the 59 institutional audits carried out in England and Northern Ireland, published between November 2004 and August 2006.
5 Outcomes from institutional audit, Recruitment and admission of students is due to be published on the QAA website next month.
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