09.30
| Platform opens for self-navigation and exploration
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10:00-
12:00 | Morning plenaries
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10:00
| Welcome and introduction to the Fair Admissions Review
Professor Quintin McKellar, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Hertfordshire and Vice-President for England and Northern Ireland, Universities UK
As chair of the Fair Admissions review, Professor Quintin McKellar will welcome you to this event and give an overview of work that has taken place and the recommendations that have been made. |
10:25
| Upholding standards in admissions
Clare Marchant, Chief Executive, UCAS Professor Rama Thirunamachandran, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Canterbury Christ Church University How can we make sure that University admissions and offers are working in the best interest of students and are fair and transparent to all applicants? In this session, the speakers will set a context for the day, reflecting on the recent launch of Universities UK’s Fair Admissions review, including what steps should be made to take the recommendations forward.
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11:05
| Are contextual admissions improving access and widening participation?
Professor Sally Mapstone, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of St Andrews Beth Linklater, Assistant Principal, Queen Mary’s College, Basingstoke
Rebecca Montacute, Research and Policy Manager, The Sutton Trust Nimo Ali, Political Economy student, King's College London
Aeysha Fida, Psychology student, King's College London
Students that would benefit most from contextual admissions do not really know what they are, that they exist and often messaging, and information is not consistent, clear or is hidden across the sector. What can we do to combat these issues and ensure that contextual admissions are succeeding in what they are trying to achieve?
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11:55
| Closing remarks
Professor Quintin McKellar, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Hertfordshire and Vice-President for England and Northern Ireland, Universities UK
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12:00 - 13:00 | Break from sessions
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13:00 -14:00 | Breakout sessions
Choose one session to attend
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| Having confidence in admissions
David Ruck, Head of Higher Education and Careers, Bristol Grammar School
Chris Watts, Director of University Recruitment, Leeds Beckett University
Naomi Kellman FRSA, Senior Manager for Schools and Universities, Rare Recruitment and Founder, Target Oxbridge
Johnny Rich, Chief Executive, Push and Co-Chair, Fair Access Coalition
Chair: Dan Hurley, Policy Manager, Universities UK
This session will discuss how to ensure transparency in the admissions process such as reducing pressure on applicants when using incentives; restricting the use of unconditional offers to specific circumstances; making historical entry grades available to applicants and the role of the careers services in schools in supporting the university application process.
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| Improving admissions for different groups
Mike Nicholson, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach, University of Bath Christine Kinnear, Founder & CEO, With Insight Education
Professor Vikki Boliver, Department of Sociology, Durham University
Chair: Dan Wake, Policy Analyst, Universities UK
This session will delve deeper into the disparities in the admissions process that are experienced by applicants such as students in receipt of free school meals or from low-income backgrounds, those that are care experienced and those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups. What can be done to improve this?
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14:00 - 15:00
| Break from sessions
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15:00 - 16:00
| Afternoon plenaries
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15:00
| Chair's introduction
Professor Quintin McKellar, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Hertfordshire and Vice-President for England and Northern Ireland, Universities UK
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15:05
| Post-qualifications admissions (PQA) model
Chris Hale, Director of Policy, Universities UK
Mary Curnock-Cook, Independent educationalist and Former Chief Executive Officer, UCAS Jo Wilson, Head of Sixth Form, The Pingle Academy, Derbyshire
With increased concerns with the use of conditional and unconditional offers; the use and accuracy of predicted grades and the fairness of predictions and the use of incentives to encourage early applicant decision making, offers are only made to applications after they have received their results? Reflecting on the disruption to the admissions cycle in 2020 and the likely further fallout from the pandemic, this session will give opportunity to further considerations on reforming the undergraduate admissions system.
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15:55
| Closing remarks
Professor Quintin McKellar, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Hertfordshire and Vice-President for England and Northern Ireland, Universities UK
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