What makes an effective admissions operation
SPA good practice guidance
September 2012
Contents:
page
1.
SPA Good Practice Statements
2
2.
Introduction
3
3.
Fairness principles for effective admissions operations
3
4.
SPA Applicant Experience Strategy
4
5.
Approaches
5
6.
Centralised, devolved or mixed – the national picture
7
7.
Staffing
12
8.
Projects in admissions
15
Appendices
A
Collaboration with regard to admissions planning
17
B
Academic Admissions Tutor - example job description
18
C
Head of Admissions - example job description
19
D
References
21
E
Acknowledgements
21
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1.
SPA Good Practice Statements
Supporting Professionalism in Admissions Programme (SPA)
SPA is an independent and objective voice on UK higher education (HE) admissions. We lead on
the development of fair admissions, providing an evidence base and recommendations for good
practice to help universities and colleges maintain and enhance excellence and professionalism in
admissions, student recruitment and widening participation/access. SPA works closely with HE
provider institutions (HEIs) and other stakeholders to provide resource outputs to help HEIs
develop and update their admissions practice and policy to enhance quality, transparency,
reputation and fairness. Full information on SPA and its work can be found at www.spa.ac.uk.
Statements of good practice
This good practice statement has been prepared by SPA in response to requests from institutions
offering HE courses. Our objective is to provide good practice which has been derived from the
analysis of evidence collected by SPA from discussions with staff during visits to HEIs, at
conferences, evidence from HEIs’ policy and practice, and from desk-based research. There are a
number of SPA good practice statements which aim to provide a wide range of staff in HE with
principles and examples to consider, enabling them to review and update their own policies and
practices. Heads and deputy heads of HEIs, senior managers, admissions and registry staff,
student services staff, equality and diversity practitioners and student officers and representatives
may find the statements of value and assistance.
In the UK admissions standards, requirements, procedures, policies and decisions are the
responsibility of each individual HEI. This principle was affirmed in the Schwartz Report on Fair
Admissions (2004)1 and is set out in law.
Disclaimer
This good practice statement is for general guidance only, and should not be taken as a list of
obligations or a legal document. SPA emphasises that it does not offer legal advice and cannot
take any responsibility for actions taken based on this information. HEIs must always take their
own legal advice as they see appropriate.
SPA good practice statements are kept under review and updated as appropriate. Your comments
or updates are invited and appreciated, please contact enquiries@spa.ac.uk
Fair admissions to higher education: recommendations for good practice –The Schwartz Report,
September 2004 http://www.admissions-review.org.uk/ (accessed 21 May 2012)
1
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2.
Introduction
Since SPA was established in 2006 the team has visited over 149 HEIs throughout the UK to
gather examples of good practice and support those working in admissions, student recruitment
and widening inclusion by offering advice based on our extensive experience and research.
Our evidence base covers a wide range of HEIs, and provides examples of the different ways in
which admissions offices are organised in order to provide an effective service. This good practice
statement draws together some of this exemplar material, and draws on existing SPA good
practice, to offer recommendations in relation to the establishment of an admissions office. These
recommendations may be applied across the UK, to different types and sizes of institution, and
across different application levels and modes e.g. undergraduate (UG), postgraduate taught
(PGT), postgraduate research (PGR), full-time, part-time study, distance and on-line learning.
The recommendations laid out in this good practice statement are not exclusive or mandatory; it is
entirely up to individual HEIs to decide how to organise their admissions operation. However, you
may find some of the information helpful in informing your decisions about how to structure your
admissions function to enable it to be efficient, fair and transparent within the mission and
strategies of your institution. If you chose to organise your admissions operation in ways not
covered in this statement, SPA would be interested to know as this would add to our knowledge
and understanding and aid improvements to this evidence-based good practice statement.
3.
Fairness principles for effective admissions operations
Towards the end of 2011 the SPA Steering Group agreed that it would be helpful to convene a
Group of representative sector stakeholders to revisit what was meant by fair admissions in HE,
given the significant changes taking place in the UK HE sector which have an impact upon
admissions.
The SPA Fair Admissions Task and Finish Group met three times between January and March
2012, with the main task being to revisit the Schwartz Report’s2 five principles of fairness and to
consider the additional fairness issues produced by SPA, in the context of the changing HE
admissions landscape.
The Group concluded that the five principles of fair admissions were still valid, noting the particular
need to highlight that the principles apply across all modes, levels and countries; i.e. across all UK
HE admissions. The SPA team’s work in fulfilling the terms of reference of the Group included the
analysis of Group member’s responses to an exercise to map and test each of the five principles
against current HE admissions issues.
The final published briefing, which confirms that the commitment to fair admissions should be of
high importance to senior managers and policymakers, was made available to HE sector
colleagues in July 2012 and is on the SPA website. The briefing is useful to HEIs in thinking about
admissions structures and approaches and it should also be useful for those championing fair
admissions within their own institution.
2
Fair admissions to higher education: recommendations for good practice –The Schwartz Report,
September 2004 http://www.admissions-review.org.uk/ (accessed 21 May 2012)
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4.
SPA Applicant Experience Strategy
The applicant experience3 as defined by SPA encompasses all the opportunities or points of
interaction between HE and a potential student. Such experience affects whether or not an
individual becomes an HE student, and indeed whether or not an individual chooses to apply to HE
in the first place. Managing those interactions requires integrated practice across the whole
applicant experience, leading to a more predictable transition into HE.
In thinking about how admissions operates and is structured within HEIs, staff will want to review
the key interactions and communications required with particular groups or individuals within the
institution. This is likely to include the need to work closely with:


recruitment, widening inclusion and school and college liaison staff;
planning - to ensure the HEI has a joined-up strategic approach to the management of
student numbers;
 marketing staff, for example, to launch specific marketing campaigns based on data
analysis;
 international recruitment and admissions staff;
 staff in partner institutions.
Close working relationships will also be needed with planning staff, to ensure the HEI has a joinedup strategic approach to the management of student numbers.
The chosen structure on its own is unlikely to convey any benefit to meeting the requirements that
an individual HEI needs its admissions system to deliver. The structure must be part of a strategic
approach to admissions and recruitment, including the development and implementation of
appropriate policies.
4.1 Planning and Managing
SPA’s Applicant Experience work and many of our good practice statements and
recommendations are inter-linked. The considerations involved when HEIs think about their
admissions structure and approach to strategy and operational processing are closely linked to
thinking about collaboration with regard to admissions planning and managing numbers. As part of
SPA’s work on planning and managing numbers, and drawing on work carried out by HEI
participants at the SPA Student Number Control Surgeries in 2011 and 2012, we have drafted a
table of agreed core collaboration4 which is included as Appendix A.
In considering the staff areas which admissions need to collaborate with, HEIs may be able to see
more clearly the structure and approach which would be most appropriate to aid internal
communication and ensure effective delivery of shared strategic objectives.
HEIs should consider their own unique organisational structures when using the table of agreed
core collaboration, and should include any additional course, institutional, local or mission level
collaborations relevant to achieving their admissions plans.
3
http://www.spa.ac.uk/applicant-experience/index.html (accessed 4 July 2012)
4
http://www.spa.ac.uk/documents/SPA_Admissions_Action_Plan.pdf (accessed 25 May 2012)
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5. Approaches
5.1 Integrated Office approach
The delivery of functions including admissions, widening inclusion and student recruitment within
HEIs is approached in many different ways. Even where the language used is the same, the
interpretation and meaning may be different e.g. two HEIs may both have a section called
Recruitment and Admissions but they may have different areas of responsibility and are likely to
operate very differently too. There may also be different interpretations of ‘integrated’. This could
mean being in the same overall area and reporting to the same manager or actually being part of
the same office, with staff doing both core admissions and outreach – it is quite common in these
types of structures for all staff to undertake an element of outreach/recruitment.
SPA’s evidence base identifies a number of HEIs which choose to adopt a model of integration,
where functions including admissions, widening inclusion and student recruitment are co-located,
both physically and strategically, under the same director or other senior manager. This may result
in a better informed service and can make for easier integration. For example, there is always a
danger of widening inclusion staff becoming divorced from the competitive realities of admissions
in some areas if they are separate, and a danger of admissions and student recruitment staff losing
sight of widening inclusion if the activities are not immediately obvious to them.
Some HEIs incorporate processing for both UG and PGT admissions, along with widening
inclusion activities, in one office. Others adopt a model where the student recruitment teams for
both UG and PGT admissions are co-located and also have responsibility for producing marketing
materials (prospectuses, websites etc.) which support recruitment. Some HEIs include
responsibility for the management and processing of international applications alongside those for
home/EU, while others manage the two areas separately. The requirements for the effective
management and processing of international applications are likely to differ in many respects from
those for home/EU. These should therefore be explicitly mapped out to identify where within the
recruitment and admissions operation this function should most effectively be situated.
Some HEIs may integrate recruitment and admissions but not necessarily in a deliberate or
strategic way, but because of small staff numbers and a necessity for staff to undertake multifunctional roles. This can lead to positive benefits in terms of the flow of information and knowledge
accumulation.
5.2 Communications and Marketing
In some structures there is back up from communications staff who may deal with activities
including publications layout and technical aspects of the website. There are some models where
corporate communications and marketing is not completely integrated e.g. responsibility for
editorial control of the prospectus and admissions leaflets/newsletters/brochures sits within the
admissions office but individual academic departments are responsible for their own sections of
publications and their pages of the website. In these cases senior managerial staff will need to
ensure that there are clear and open communication channels, so all staff are aware of their
responsibilities, deadlines and peak periods of work both in their own areas and in others.
5.3 Confirmation and Clearing
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HEIs approach arrangements for Confirmation and Clearing activities in different ways; some
functions are devolved to academic departments or schools while others operate a completely
centralised function.
HEIs confirm conditional offers throughout the admissions year, but the majority of confirmation
decisions for full-time undergraduate applications are made during July and August. Admissions
staff (or sometimes academic admissions tutors if there is a devolved model in place) will make
confirmation decisions as quickly as possible for applicants meeting the terms of their offers and
will manage border-line confirmations according to demand and the requirement to hit recruitment
targets. The management of numbers is an extremely complex area of the admissions function in
HEIs, and one which is approached in different ways by different institutions. The approach will be
dependent on many factors including the external policy environment in the HEI’s UK nation, the
HEI’s recruitment targets and the split between selecting and recruiting courses at the institution.
Many HEIs establish very sophisticated arrangements to manage their Clearing operation,
including the recruitment of temporary staff to answer calls to the HEI’s Clearing hotline, freeing up
experienced staff to deal with more complex enquiries. SPA recommends that HEIs should not
have complete reliance on one piece of technology to manage their Clearing enquiries and
applications, and should have an effective contingency plan in place. This is a crucial point in the
admissions cycle for many applicants and HEIs must ensure they are able to respond
professionally if the expected technology is unable to support them adequately during this period.
5.4 Which approach?
Different approaches will be chosen by different HEIs and this is very much an internal strategic
decision to be made by staff who understand the particular subtleties and needs of the institution.
SPA does not recommend one particular approach or structure above another.
In SPA’s experience it seems rare for an HEI to group together admissions, widening inclusion,
student recruitment, marketing and corporate communications. However we would suggest that
HEIs consider the effectiveness of such a model within their own contexts, given the importance of
relationship building between departments with cross-over functions and interests.
SPA has seen evidence of good practice demonstrated when at least admissions and recruitment
staff report ultimately to the same person at the highest level (Pro-VC, Vice-Principal or
equivalent). This might be operating devolved admissions operations but ensuring that recruitment
and admissions staff report to the same line manager, wherever they are based in the HEI. This
could be more likely to lead to consistent implementation of policy and practice and can be even
better if the functions are managed together at a lower operational level, but the key aspect is
communication. SPA has seen evidence of bad practice demonstrated when the functions are
completely separated – this can mean that staff do not communicate effectively, that there is
suspicion of the two functions and information does not pass as it should. Recruitment staff need to
know that the processes and legalities are legitimate (not just bureaucratic) while admissions staff
need to be aware that they will be required to get involved in active outreach.
Some HEIs may prioritise a home/EU undergraduate student focus in terms of the way in which
strategic process is articulated, and external policy drivers are likely to influence this. Others may
place a higher priority on PGT and international recruitment.
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Whichever approach is in place it must support staff at all levels in understanding how their role
contributes to the wider mission of the admissions office and to the institution.
6. Centralised, devolved or mixed – the national picture
6.1 Definitions
A strict definition of ‘centralised’ would be a system where all aspects of admissions are handled
by teams that have direct line management accountability to the institutional executive. ‘Devolved’
would be defined by primary accountability on departmental or faculty lines. However, in practice
few, if any admission structures work to such pure terms. The most common aspects of variation,
which make it difficult to determine if a structure is centralised or devolved, are:

many devolved systems have a central policy unit;

most centralised systems have some elements that are devolved e.g. departments or
courses in creative subjects, medicine, professional courses and others requiring interviews
or which specify additional entry criteria;

processing, decision-making, interview timetabling and other aspects of admissions
process, can take place in different locations within HEIs;

it is very rare for all modes and levels of study to be centralised e.g. undergraduate central
but postgraduate devolved, and vice versa - full-time central but part-time devolved;

the extent of devolution varies greatly, with some faculty offices having a single team
covering admissions, whilst others devolve admissions further down to course level;

some teams are devolved on a campus, rather than on a faculty, basis;

in some devolved systems decisions are made by professional administrators, not by
academic admissions tutors;

there is considerable divergence across all models in relation to who is responsible for the
setting of admissions decision-making criteria.
These aspects make it difficult to define centralised, devolved and mixed admissions/ admissions
decision-making for comparative purposes.
Although such issues make it difficult to compare structures nationally, the only definitions that
really matter are within an individual HEI. However, it is vital that each HEI defines what is meant
by these terms clearly and fully to avoid any misunderstanding internally as:

working to different definitions or misinterpretations can cause serious confusion and
unnecessary discontent among staff at all levels;

without a clear and full definition of your HEI’s processing model, it will be difficult to provide
consistent and clear information and guidance.
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6.2 Centralised admissions decision-making
Where fully centralised admissions decision-making is in place, selection criteria will need to be
agreed with academic staff at the start of each new admissions cycle. This should follow an annual
review of the previous cycle’s selection policy to identify how effective this was in practice and any
issues and inconsistencies which were raised during the year. Crucial to this will be the use of
reliable, quantitative and qualitative data to review the correlation between applicant and student
performance. This is explored further in section 8.1.1 which suggests that HEIs are likely to have
an increasing reliance on and need for a dedicated data analyst for admissions purposes.
SPA has seen some very effective centralised models, particularly those where mechanisms exist
to discuss applications with academic staff. These clear communication channels can be very
helpful in increasing administrative staff knowledge, particularly where the mechanism enables
academic staff to communicate the rationale for their decision-making as well as the details of any
offer. This rationale can then be added to the evidence-base admissions staff access, to enable
them to continuously build on their knowledge and send increasingly fewer queries to tutors.
If an HEI decides to implement a centralised model, consideration will need to be given to how
administrative staff roles can be structured in the most effective way. Some HEIs have talked to
SPA about identifying staff who have affinity for certain subject areas and in some cases
experience of the profession e.g. the NHS for Nursing and Midwifery courses, as this affinity could
lead to a greater understanding and depth of knowledge of the skills and attributes required for
these courses. Other HEIs have cited a preference for a more generalist approach to enable
flexibility between subject areas and staff members, to cover for absences, ensure staff are readily
able to offer help at peak times and to lessen the risk to the HEI in having a significant amount of
specific knowledge invested in only one person.
6.3 Statistics
During the first six years of the SPA Programme we noted a trend towards the increased
centralisation of admissions decision-making structures. In April 2010 we drew together the
information we had collected about HEIs’ structures, the results of which are shown below:
Figure 1 – Undergraduate admissions
structures of 108 HEIs, April 2010
Just under half (52) of the 108 structures reviewed in 2010 were centralised, with the rest either
wholly devolved (48) or with a mix of devolved and centralised service (8). This is not a complete
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sample of UK HEIs, but is an indication of the diversity in the sector. However, as there is not a
consistent definition of ‘centralised’ this picture hides the true detail and complexity in the sector.
We updated these statistics via an email request to HEIs in June 2011, asking whether they would
describe their undergraduate admissions decision-making structure as centralised, devolved or
mixed, and the results, updated with the earlier data from 2010 where relevant are shown below:
Figure 2 – Undergraduate admissions
structures of 136 HEIs, June 2011
Just under half (63) of the 136 structures reviewed in 2011 were centralised, with the rest either
wholly devolved (50) or with a mix of devolved and centralised service (23).
We updated these statistics again via an email request to HEIs in July 2012, asking whether they
would describe their undergraduate admissions decision-making structure as centralised, devolved
or mixed, and the results, updated with the earlier data from 2010 and 2011 where relevant are
shown below:
Figure 3 – Undergraduate admissions
structures of 137 HEIs, July 2012
The number of centralised structures remained at just under half (63) of the 137 structures
reviewed in 2012, the number of wholly devolved services decreased slightly (46) and the number
with a mix of devolved and centralised service increased slightly (28).
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In the email request to HEIs in July 2012 we also asked questions about specific posts which are
part of HEIs’ admissions structures, or which the admissions team has access to at specific times
of the year. The resulting responses are summarised in section 7, Staffing.
6.4 Service Level Agreements
This mixed picture highlights the importance of effective communication both within HEIs and
between HEIs and their external stakeholders.
Some HEIs have introduced Service Level Agreements (SLAs), either between admissions and
specific academic schools or departments; others are using SLAs to demonstrate commitments
between admissions and applicants.
Different admissions offices offer varying levels of service to academic schools or departments
such as first filter selection mechanisms and interview administration, which can free up academic
staff to make contributions to outreach, recruitment and admissions activities such as delivering
expert talks at Open Days and drafting promotional material about their subject material, for
administrative staff to send to enquirers, prospective applicants and applicants. Other admissions
offices will have responsibility for all aspects of the admissions operation other than conducting the
interview and making the decision. All are legitimate and it is the decision of each individual HEI to
determine which is most appropriate for them.
6.5 Central or Devolved Admissions – does it make a difference?5
Some of this section first appeared as a SPA article, originally published in the September 2011
edition of UCAS News, providing latest admissions news and updates for schools and colleges.
6.5.1 Helping Advisers
The article sought to help those advising applicants to HE to understand some of the differences
between HEIs’ admission process structures, and what it might mean to them if admissions
decision-making rests within a central office or is devolved to academic departments. Does it
matter to advisers who looks at applications and makes those critical judgements over who is
offered a place and what conditions to set? If so, why does it matter and would knowing the
structure make any difference to the advice they give to their applicants?
It is important for applicants and their advisers to know who the right people to contact are, but
what matters most is not so much where a decision is made, but an assurance that careful and
consistent measures have been employed in reaching that decision. If advisers have heard that a
university or college is moving from devolved to centralised admissions, they will probably want to
know how that change will help to deliver fair admissions and how (if it will) affect the advice they
give to applicants). SPA knows that HEIs are mindful of the fairness of their admissions structures,
but there are several points which we would suggest advisers in schools and colleges could also
consider in ensuring their support for applicants is targeted and flexible.
It would not be practical for advisers to know the complete admissions structure for every university
and college, but it is worth them considering how different structures may affect applicants’
experiences. Learning more about HEIs that their students are most likely to apply to, such as local
ones, will help them to know where best to direct queries or why response times from an HEI may
5
http://www.ucas.com/documents/ucasnews/ucasnews_issue35.pdf (accessed 25 May 2012)
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vary depending on the course. Any misunderstanding or presumption can cause confusion and risk
giving inconsistent or unclear advice in delivering fair HE admissions.
6.5.2 Important requirements for delivering a fair admissions process
In the table below SPA has identified some common, important requirements for delivering a fair
admissions process from its experience in engaging with universities and colleges. In considering
the most appropriate structure, HEIs will want to consider which might most effectively deliver each
requirement.
This is only part of a coordinated strategic approach to admissions and recruitment, and
universities, schools and colleges will need to develop approaches to support applicants. Although
there is no perfect structure, universities and colleges will be constantly reviewing and identifying
potential weaknesses to counter risks to fairness. Reliable and accessible information is one core
element to embedding fairness, and advisers are a key link in the communication chain. It is
important for advisers to tailor their approach to an individual HEI’s admissions structure and
processes, but equally important for HEIs to understand and minimise the complexity of their
admissions processes.
Requirement for an effective admissions operation
Transparency
Selection on achievement and potential
Reliable and valid selection methods
Minimise barriers to applicants
Professionalism of staff
Consistency
Equal consideration
Turnaround time
Quality of information for applicants
Involvement of academic subject staff
Statistical / market intelligence information
Control of student numbers
Cost efficiency
Establishing positive relationships with applicants
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Figure 4 –Important requirements for
delivering a fair admissions process
September 2011
7. Staffing
Various aspects of SPA’s good practice guidance and recommendations provide both general and
specific good practice principles for establishing effective admissions policy and practice in a well
organised office operation6 in relation to areas including:







admissions policy;
admissions tests;
complaints and appeals;
criminal convictions;
interviews;
feedback;
vocational qualifications.
7.1 Specific roles or posts
From the SPA team’s own collective experience of working in and managing HE admissions policy
and practice, and from our evidence base of HEIs’ practice, we have been able to identify a
number of specific job roles or posts which have been highlighted as being particularly beneficial to
have, either:


as part of the established structure of the admissions office staff;
access to at certain key times of the admissions cycle.
Some example roles follow, which some HEIs have found particularly beneficial in terms of adding
to the effectiveness of their admissions operation. HEIs will also need staff with certain areas of
expertise for particular roles, such as UKBA, UCAS correspondent and partnership liaison.
7.1.1 Data Analyst
Throughout the admissions cycle admissions offices are likely to need more from different roles at
different times. As admissions strategy becomes ever-more complex, an increasing reliance on
and need for a dedicated data analyst or for research staff has developed. These posts are likely to
be crucial to a successful admissions operation e.g. in planning and managing numbers in
response to new arrangements including the HEFCE Student Number Control (SNC) policy in
England and restrictions in Scotland around the recruitment of Scottish domiciled and Rest of UK
(RUK) students.
Analysis of recruitment trends, emerging markets and application numbers, and projections in
relation to conversion statistics are all vital in enabling HEIs to plan and manage numbers to
ensure they hit target. Some HEIs’ resources will allow them to include a dedicated data analyst
post in the admissions team; others, if this post is located elsewhere in the HEI, must ensure they
have access to this resource at crucial times during the admissions cycle.
In the email request to HEIs in July 2012 we asked questions about specific posts which are part of
HEIs’ admissions structures, or which the admissions team has access to at specific times of the
year. Of the small number of responses received, some HEIs indicated that they didn’t have an
admissions data analyst or access to such a post, others that they did have access to a data
analyst either in admissions all year round or based in an area other than admissions e.g. the
6
http://www.spa.ac.uk/good-practice/index.html (accessed 25 May 2012)
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Information Services team, two others indicated that they were just about to recruit to this post.
One explained that they have a 0.6 FTE post which is dedicated to operational and MIS reporting
within Admissions. This HEI also stated that they work closely with colleagues in their Market
Intelligence section, where there is another full-time post dedicated to data analysis (although
reports will also include data relating to other categories, e.g. enquiries and existing students).
Another HEI told us that they have a full time market research/data analyst based within
Recruitment and Admissions.
7.1.2 Web specialist
Ensuring information about admissions is as prominent as possible on the HEI’s website is vital for
an effective operation. There are particular points during the admissions cycle when certain
information must be completely visible and transparent on the website, including:








at the start of a new admissions cycle, clear entry requirement statements;
at the start of a new admissions cycle, the HEI’s newly revised admissions policy;
as deadlines approach, clear guidance for applicants;
throughout the year, information about complaints and appeals;
throughout the year, information about interviews;
throughout the year, information about admissions tests;
throughout the year, information about how feedback may be requested and how this will
be
communicated to applicants;
at the start of Confirmation, Clearing and Adjustment, information about places available
and procedures for applying.
Having a dedicated web specialist who understands admissions processes and the priorities
throughout the admissions cycle would be particularly beneficial to an effective admissions
operation. Some HEIs’ resources will allow them to include this dedicated web specialist post in the
admissions team; others, if this post is located elsewhere in the HEI, must ensure they have
access to this resource at crucial times of the admissions cycle.
In the email request to HEIs in July 2012 we asked questions about specific posts which are part of
HEIs’ admissions structures, or which the admissions team has access to at specific times of the
year. Of the small number of responses received, some HEIs indicated that they didn’t have an
admissions web specialist or access to such a post, others that they did have access to a web
specialist based either in admissions all year round or in an area other than admissions e.g. within
the HEI’s MIS team, another indicated that this post exists in combination with the admissions IT
specialist. One HEI explained that while they didn’t have a web specialist within the admissions
team, some staff do have access to their Content Management System so can update certain
areas of the website. They added that they work closely with their web team on admissions related
areas. One HEI explained that they have staff within the admissions team who maintain their web
pages and they have access to web developers throughout the year. Another HEI told us that they
have a dedicated web team.
7.1.3 IT specialist
Ensuring admissions is able to make a timely response to changes in both the external policy
environment and internal changes required by the HEI, often requires changes to software.
Sometimes this will be in-house software specific to the HEI; at other times it will be third-party
software purchased to support admissions processes. Sometimes this will be a relatively small
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change which is identified to improve practice; at other times this will be larger scale
developmental change such as that required for the move to paperless or paperlite processing.
Resources for IT developments in HEIs are often highly competitive. Having a dedicated IT
specialist who understands admissions processes and the priorities throughout the admissions
cycle would be particularly beneficial in ensuring admissions development requests take priority
when they need to. Some HEIs’ resources will allow them to include this dedicated IT specialist
post in the admissions team; others, if this post is located elsewhere in the HEI, must ensure they
have access to this resource at crucial times of the admissions cycle.
In the email request to HEIs in July 2012 we asked questions about specific posts which are part of
HEIs’ admissions structures, or which the admissions team has access to at specific times of the
year. Of the small number of responses received, some HEIs indicated that they didn’t have an
admissions IT specialist or access to such a post, others that they did have access to an IT
specialist based either in admissions all year round or in an area other than admissions e.g. within
the HEI’s MIS team, another indicated that this post exists in combination with the admissions web
specialist. One HEI explained that they had no IT specialist within the admissions team but said
they work closely with colleagues in their IT Services department to ensure they can maintain and
enhance IT solutions to admissions related areas. Another HEI told us that they have access to IT
specialists, but that IT support is a separate department.
7.2 Staff development and progression
It is entirely up to individual HEIs to decide how to organise their admissions, but fundamental to
any operation must be a structure which provides opportunities for staff to progress and develop,
as this is in the best long-term interests of both individuals and institutions. In thinking about any
restructure HEIs will want to ensure there are opportunities for staff to learn and progress; that any
new structure is hierarchical enough for those staff who wish to, to progress within the institution
(this also maximises the institution’s investment in staff training and development) and to attract
good levels of new staff.
If an HEI is moving from one process model to another e.g. from a devolved to a more centralised
process model, the staff training and development must consider that some staff may not feel
confident with such significant change and for some the move out of their comfort zone will need to
be very carefully managed, to ensure the service remains effective. The time required to ensure
staff are appropriately trained to operate effectively within the new structure may be significant and
should not be underestimated.
Some aspects of an effective operation will be generic and should be straightforward to establish
e.g. ensuring effective communications are in place, whether in person with enquirers and
applicants via a walk-in reception area, over the ‘phone, by email, via social media or by written
communication. Essential to these effective communications is ensuring that all staff are aware of
institutional messages, that enquiries are answered in a consistent way and that the service levels
are transparent and understood e.g. all staff should be aware of the HEI’s timeline in relation to
responding to enquiries.
Transparency in relation to aspects of process e.g. application process; interview process;
complaints and appeals; and feedback is essential to an effective operation. Making clear
information available to enquirers and applicants can support staff in dealing with more detailed
and less straightforward enquiries.
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Well-inducted and well-trained staff are arguably an institution’s greatest resource.
7.3 Academic Admissions Tutors
In structures where academic staff have responsibility for aspects of the admissions process e.g.
decision-making; collaboration in relation to the review and agreement of entry requirements;
attendance at Open Days; and, support during Confirmation, Clearing and Adjustment, there must
be a mechanism by which these responsibilities are clearly laid out.
Some HEIs find it useful to have an Academic Admissions Tutor job description for this purpose,
particularly when academic staff are new to admissions. This does not suggest that all of the tasks
and responsibilities listed are to be carried out by the named individual, more that the person, with
the support of his or her Head of Academic School or Department, is responsible for ensuring that
the activities are effectively supported and carried out by appropriate academic colleagues. An
example of such a job description is included as Appendix B.
7.4 Head of Admissions
Although SPA recognises that there is no standard ‘Head of Admissions’ job description, it might
be helpful for HEIs to consider some areas of responsibility which this role might typically
incorporate, noting variances such as:




whether the institution offers HE in an FE setting;
whether this role also manages postgraduate admissions;
whether this role also manages part-time admissions;
and whether this role also manages international admissions.
Examples of such job descriptions are included as Appendix C.
7.5 Resource requirements
SPA has received a number of enquiries about quantifying an industry standard definition of the
level of resource required as a baseline for undergraduate admissions staffing. This is problematic
due to differences in the allocation of tasks across HEIs; e.g. of two similar sized HEIs receiving
broadly similar numbers of UG applications in a given year, one may retain the applications in the
admissions team and carry out centralised admissions decision-making while the other may
devolve this function to academic schools. In the latter model admissions staff are likely to be
involved in processing tasks and may provide support for interview and open day administration,
while in the former model the admissions teams’ activities may arguably be more resource
intensive as staff will be making offer decisions. SPA encourages HEIs to consider resource
requirements in relation to their operating principles and strategic priorities i.e. resources must be
in line with the volume of applications received and with the admissions policy and practice.
8. Projects in admissions
SPA recommends that some specific pieces of work should be approached as formal projects.
This could be one person appointed for a specific purpose for a particular period of time to oversee
the work from start to finish, or an existing member of staff seconded to lead a project in a certain
area. A topical example of this is the move to paperless or ‘paperlite’ admissions processes.
Page 15 of 21
Following the decision by UCAS, with HEI’s agreement, to no longer issue paper copy application
forms to HEIs from 2013 (for 2014 entry to HE) SPA has been working with HEIs where progress
has already been made in this area, to publish a series of case studies on the SPA website to
assist institutions with their planning and processes http://www.spa.ac.uk/nationaldevelopments/paperless-processing.html.
8.1 Paperless Processing Projects
Included in a document about paperless processing7 which SPA produced in conjunction with
UCAS in 2011, SPA recommends that the move to paperless processing is approached as a
distinct and formal project within HEIs, for a number of reasons including the following:





there is a hard deadline by which HEIs must respond to the removal of the paper copy form
by UCAS and a specific project plan is likely to make this deadline easier to meet;
by this deadline, HEIs must have tested and piloted the new approach to ensure it is
effective;
through the project plan, any necessary requests for approval can be submitted to relevant
University committees in a timely way;
it is likely to be the case that this work is unable to be subsumed into existing staff
members’ roles, in addition to current responsibilities (the current pressures on admissions
staff are significant due to changes in the external environment such as the new HEFCE
Student Number Control mechanisms in England and the differences between fee
arrangements for Scottish domiciled and RUK students in Scotland);
some technical expertise will be required to ensure the necessary systems are in place to
enable paperless or paperlite processing, including adequate testing.
SPA recommends that in addition to technical expertise within the project team, the project is
headed up by a sufficiently senior role such that the individual has the authority to engage with
senior academic and managerial staff within the institution. Support at a senior level is particularly
significant in ensuring a smooth transition from a paper to an online system.
The project lead should ensure appropriate senior staff are made aware of the need for change
and plans should be outlined to them, they should be updated at regular intervals throughout the
planning, development and implementation stages of the process. It is important that staff across
the institution are involved in this process to provide input into documenting the current processes
and to allow staff the opportunity to have input into any changes that are being considered.
The removal of paper copy forms is an excellent opportunity for HEIs to not just replicate what they
do now in electronic format, but to review existing business processes to ensure they remain fit for
purpose and are as effective as possible. Deciding just to print the electronic record would be a lost
opportunity to improve the HEI’s business process and overall effectiveness. HEIs would
potentially maintain any inherent weaknesses, problems and inefficiencies, rather than using the
change as a positive opportunity for improvement.
Please contact Annie Doyle SPA Senior Project Officer, if you have any queries about the SPA
good practice guidance in this area of ‘What makes an effective admissions operation’.
SPA, September 2012
7
http://www.spa.ac.uk/national-developments/paperless-processing.html Paperless Processes, UCAS
Admissions Conference April 2011, (accessed 21 May 2012)
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Collaboration with regard to admissions planning
Appendix A
Collaboration on
target setting
Collaboration with
entry
requirements

Academics
Accommodation/Student Residences (internal and external)
publications
and publicity

communicating
changes and
managing
expectations

training/
updating staff



Admission colleagues in other institutions
Admissions committee/review group


Admissions teams across the institution

Awarding bodies and bodies reporting on qualification developments





Feeder schools and colleges




International recruitment staff and overseas agents/partners

IT support staff, including external providers
Marketing, recruitment and Schools and Colleges Liaison staff


Partner institutions


Planning and statistical analysis staff

Press and External Relations Office






Previous applicants (accepters and decliners)
Senior Management Team


External networks (e.g. conferences; JISCmail)
Funding providers (funding councils; NHS; TDA)
reviewing plan
against actual
numbers during
cycle




Senior managers and line managers

SPA


Staff development/CPD providers (internal and/or external)

Student ambassadors and alumni

Student Experience committee/staff

Student representatives

Timetabling/room allocation staff (for interviews, visits, etc.)

UCAS



UKBA
UUK, GuildHE and other in-sector collaborative organisations

Widening Participation colleagues

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

Academic Admissions Tutor example job description
Appendix B
Admissions Tutors provide an important link between academic departments and the Student
Recruitment function.
This role description outlines the principal functions associated with this role, to give managers and
staff guidance in the range and level of skills and commitment required. The Head of Student
Recruitment will arrange for appropriate training and induction sessions to be available at regular
intervals. These functions are to be seen as an important element of a team-based approach to
recruitment and can only be achieved effectively as part of a collegiate approach within the school
and campus structures.
Functions:












To assist the student recruitment and marketing functions in providing pre-entry guidance to
potential students
To lead and co-ordinate school-based activities in relation to student recruitment
To liaise with the Head of Student Recruitment in identifying the criteria for admission to
courses and facilitating offers to be made to applicants
To attend and participate in open, applicant and interview days
To be available during the summer Clearing Period
To liaise between Campus Deans, Heads of School and student recruitment on all issues
related to recruitment and admissions
To assist with Access and Widening Participation activities of the University
Membership of, and attendance at, the University Admissions and Recruitment Operations
Committee
Identify and develop new market opportunities in conjunction with Campus Deans, Heads
of
School and the Student Recruitment unit, and identify strategies to raise application and
conversion rates
Liaise with staff in Marketing and Student Recruitment in producing and distributing
appropriate promotional materials
To assist, where appropriate, in schools liaison activities including links with Compact
partners
To liaise with disability advisors and other agencies in identifying appropriate support
arrangements for candidates with specific requirements.
Skills/Knowledge Required:






Flexibility of availability, particularly during the summer Confirmation and Clearing period
Subject knowledge, including an awareness of potential career pathways and opportunities
for further study
An understanding of UK sub-degree qualifications
An appreciation of the UCAS applications system, including tariff grading
An ability to promote the subject in a variety of forums, including email enquiries and
communicating with parents
Enthusiasm for developing the students’ pre-entry experience.
Page 18 of 21
Head of Admissions example job descriptions
Appendix C
Purpose of the role: To provide leadership in the area of student admissions.
Main Responsibilities
1.
2.
3.
4.
Provide strategic leadership and management of Admissions, within an agreed budget, to ensure the
delivery of a high quality service to a diverse range of stakeholders including applicants, their parents,
their sponsors, external agencies and institutional colleagues.
Lead the development, delivery and evaluation of services provided by Admissions, including the
development of relevant IT systems and continued implementation of centralised admissions decisionmaking.
Lead, manage and develop Admissions staff so that they provide the best possible service to
stakeholders.
Engage with academic schools and relevant professional services and represent Admissions internally to
academic staff, senior managerial staff and University committees.
5.
Identify and implement best sector practice in relation to admissions.
6.
Contribute to the development of policies and services in relation to admissions.
Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications and Experience
Essential
Desirable
Qualifications/
Education
A good first degree (2:1 or above), or equivalent
A recognised postgraduate qualification
Skills/Training
 A commitment to delivery of high standards
of professional service
 Political awareness and the ability to promote
the admissions agenda at a strategic level
within and beyond the University
 Ability to represent the University to
applicants, parents, sponsors and external
agencies
 Strong interpersonal skills: communicating,
explaining, persuading, negotiating – to staff
at all levels, senior University bodies and a
range of external stakeholders
 Ability to plan, negotiate and deliver strategic
plans
 Ability to Chair meetings and project groups
and to be an effective team member
 Ability to balance short-term operational
pressures with long-term change and
development projects
 Proven ability to manage financial and
human resources strategically and
operationally
 Substantial managerial experience including
solid evidence of delivery of high standards
of professional service
 Motivating and managing a large team of
staff, including the management of change
 Capacity for, and clear evidence of, strategic
thinking

Experience
Page 19 of 21



Advanced understanding of the
principles and practice of admissions
within higher education
An excellent understanding of policy
developments in higher education
admissions, including current
legislation, and educational reforms
Understanding of the impact and
potential of technology in this area
Substantial experience of
admissions within higher education
Main Purpose of the job:
To initiate and direct the strategic development of the admissions and recruitment policy and function in
order to meet the aims and requirements of the University’s mission and corporate plan and external
legislative requirements.
Main Duties and Accountabilities Strategic Responsibilities
 To lead the strategic development of admissions policy and activities, in response to the internal and
external environment, through management of the Admissions Office and communication and contact with
internal and external stakeholders
 Implement appropriate planning and monitoring procedures to manage risk in the admissions process
 To develop admissions policy and ensure its dissemination throughout the organisation
 To contribute to the development of widening participation policy and ensure the integration of the aims of
widening participation into the admissions function
 To direct the development of fit for purpose admissions procedures which meet institutional and legislative
requirements through the monitoring of current processes; initiation, planning and monitoring of
implementation of new processes
 To input to the University strategic planning process by monitoring and advising on internal and external
trends and forecasting of outcomes against target at University, College, department and programme level
and to advise on appropriate action as a result.
 To advise senior members and committees of the University on trends in the external environment which
affect admissions policy and activity
 To be aware of external issues which affect university admissions, such as changes in government policy,
development of school curricula, widening participation, demographics and to advise and feed these into
internal policy and procedures
 To commission market research related to the admissions process, and to ensure that the findings are
used to revise or develop admissions policies and processes
 To represent the University at external events and through membership of external bodies, in order to
contribute to the management of the reputation of the institution
 To communicate University policy and procedures on admissions and recruitment related issues, to
external bodies e.g. BIS, UCAS to influence national policy
 To develop relationships and work closely with external organisations with an interest in the admissions
and recruitment process: UCAS, HELOA, UUK etc.
Procedural and Advisory Responsibilities
 To initiate new procedures e.g. changes to UCAS system in response to process changes, and in
response to new legislation or University initiatives, and ensure these are delivered
 To contribute to publications related to admissions including prospectuses, and to approve publications for
print
 To advise Admissions Tutors on the effectiveness of their current admissions policies and procedures and
to advise on changes e.g. different entry requirements or levels, changes to internal procedures
 To deal with complaints and appeals about admissions processes and decisions
 To work closely with other areas which impact on admissions, including:
o
Student Recruitment and Marketing
o
Planning
o Registry
Page 20 of 21
Appendix D: References
Fair admissions to higher education: recommendations for good practice (‘The Schwartz
report’) Admissions to Higher Education Review, (September 2004). The report referred to
England only, but has been used throughout the UK. www.admissions-review.org.uk/
SPA Applicant Experience http://www.spa.ac.uk/applicant-experience/index.html (September
2011)
SPA Considerations for Planning and Managing Admissions
http://www.spa.ac.uk/documents/SPA_Admissions_Action_Plan.pdf (October 2011)
Central or Devolved Admissions – does it make a difference?
http://www.ucas.com/documents/ucasnews/ucasnews_issue35.pdf (September 2011)
Doyle, A. and Green, J. (April 2011) UCAS Admissions Conference April 2011, Paperless
Processes http://www.spa.ac.uk/national-developments/paperless-processing.html
Appendix E: Acknowledgements
In preparing this good practice statement SPA has received extremely valuable assistance from a
number of colleagues in institutions and organisations, both in commenting on the suggested
content of the draft statement and in sharing their policies, procedures and documentation.
Page 21 of 21