Slides from the presentation by Mary Curnock Cook of UCAS for the \'What makes a top university?\' seminar at the AGR Conference, July 2010

1. Association of Graduate Recruiters Conference, Newport 2010
Success in a rapidly changing landscape
What makes a “top” university seminar
Demographic overview of changes in HE
Mary Curnock Cook
Chief Executive Officer

2. Higher education in context
▪ Unprecedented demand
▫ Applications increasing; but no increase in HE places
▫ Increased competition – average Tariff offer increased
by 7 points
▫ Average offer is just over 280 points equivalent to BBC
at A level
▪ Funding for higher education
▫ Fees review
▪ Curriculum reform and development

3. The 2010 cycle
UCAS applicants and accepts
800,000
700,000
78.56% 77.63% 77.35% 75.31%
600,000
77.68% 77.20% 77.57%
500,000
66.17%
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Applicants Accepts Acceptance rate
Source: UCAS Statistics

4. The changing profile of accepted applicants
▪ Domicile
1999 Accepts 2009 Accepts
UK EU (ex UK) Non EU UK EU (ex UK) Non EU
Source: UCAS Statistics Unit

5. The changing profile of accepted applicants
▪ Age profile
1999 Accepts 2009 Accepts
20 and under 21 to 24 20 and under 21 to 24
25 to 39 40 and over 25 to 39 40 and over
Source: UCAS Statistics Unit

6. The changing profile of accepted applicants
▪ Ethnicity profile
1999 known Ethnicity (UK- 2009 known Ethnicity (UK-
domiciled only) domiciled only)
White Black Asian Other White Black Asian Mixed Other
Source: UCAS Statistics Unit

7. The changing profile of accepted applicants
1999 Accepts 2009 Accepts
(UK domiciled) (UK domiciled)
27.0%
67.6% 37.1% 49.8%
4.9%
0.6%
11.4%
1.7%
A Level no BTEC A Level & BTEC A Level no BTEC A Level & BTEC
BTEC no A Level Other quals BTEC no A Level Other quals
Source: UCAS Statistics

8. The 2009 cycle – a review
18-19 year old UK-domiciled accepts by Mission Group 2009
100.0%
80.0%
60.0%
40.0% % No A level
% A level
20.0%
0.0%
Source: UCAS Statistics

9. The changing profile of accepted applicants
Distance travelled (UK domiciled acceptances) - proportion
0.45
0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
>0 and <= >=25 and <= >=50 and <= >=75 and <= >=100 and >=125 and >=150 and >=175 miles
24 miles 49 miles 74 miles 99 miles <=124 miles <=149 miles <=174 miles
1999 2009
Source: UCAS Statistics Unit

10. The (changing) profile of accepted applicants
▪ Accepted applicants (17-19 year olds, UK domiciled)
200,000
86.6%
180,000
84.2% 83.6%
160,000
82.3%
140,000 84.7%
79.0% 83.5%
120,000 81.1%
100,000
77.8%
80,000
60,000
40,000 72.4%
20,000
0
Further Grammar School Independent Other State
Education School
1999 2009 1999 rate 2009 rate
Source: UCAS Statistics Unit

11. 2010 cycle figures
Choices by previous education (UK 18-19 yr olds only) –
15 Jan 2010
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Russell Group All
Source: UCAS Statistics

12. What makes a top university?
▫ Quality of accepted students?
▫ Quality of teaching?
▫ Low drop out rates?
▫ High results?
▫ NSS results?
▫ Career outcomes?

13. UCAS Mission
To deliver admission services that help applicants make:
▪ The right choices
▪ For the right reasons
▪ With the right outcomes

14. Model of information and advice
Who Schools, colleges
Pre-applicants and applicants
parents & advisors
A personalised information service for all learners:
What
• tailored information to meet the wide and varying needs of learner groups
• an advocate for the benefits of higher education
Facilitating better decision making for potential HE applicants, by:
How • Providing information and advice based on robust, up to date data and research on HE options
• Providing statistics and insight based on relevant, current and historic data
• Helping applicants understand the currency of different qualifications for progression to HE
• Connecting learners to each other, to institutions, and to trusted sources of advice
For individuals: For member institutions:
UCAS services are free to applicants UCAS helps provide applicants who
Benefits
and advisors, and provide a guided are better informed and matched to
route to career planning HE course requirements
Continually evolving products and services to meet
learner needs

15. UCAS services
▪ UCAS.com
▪ Yougo
▪ Unistats
▪ Entry profiles
▪ Tariff

16. Questions
Mary Curnock Cook
Chief Executive Officer
 01242 544 996
 m.curnockcook@ucas.ac.uk