Consultation on Improving the Higher-education Applications Process
On 22 May 2006, the Government published its response to this consultation. Read the response here.
In September 2004, Sir Alan Wilson (DfES Director General of Higher Education) was asked by Charles Clarke, the then Secretary of State for Education and Skills, to look at how to implement a UK-wide system of post-qualification applications (PQA) to higher education. PQA is a system where students apply to higher education after they receive their exam results rather than on the basis of predicted results.
Sir Alan is supported in this task by a small Working Group, including senior officials from the DfES and counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. He has also drawn on the help of a national Consultation Group of key stakeholders. Similar Consultation Groups have been established in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In addition to this, Sir Alan has established a large Stakeholders Standing Conference (consisting of around 100 organisations) whose comments have contributed to the development of the consultation document.
From 9 September to 5 December he consulted on a series of proposals regarding improvements to the current Higher Education applications system and on moving towards a system of PQA.
The response was published on 22 May 2006 and included recommendations for the education sector to be implemented by 2008/09 that will improve:
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information for students
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information about students
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feedback to students
Institutions will receive better information on which to base admissions decisions, and create an opportunity for students who achieve higher grades than required by their first firm offer to make a new application.
A further review is recommended for 2010/11 with a view to working towards the PQA system by 2012. You can read the response here.
Published: 22 May 2006
