Start date: 1 June 2008
End date: 31 March 2009
Funding programme: e-Learning Capital programme
JISC theme(s): e-Learning, e-Administration
Overview
EFIFA is a project funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and led by UCAS. Its aim is to demonstrate how to improve fairness in admissions to Higher Education through provision of effective feedback to a range of applicants. It is part of JISC’s eLearning Capital Programme, eAdministration theme, and is one of three Admissions Demonstrator Projects, the others being: ePortfolios in Successful Higher Education Admissions (PortisHEad) and Demonstrating Enhanced Learner Information in Admissions (DELIA).
Aims and objectives
EFIFA’s objectives are :
- To investigate the provision of high-quality feedback to applicants on their application to Higher Education, beyond what will be available for 2009 entry, without placing an additional administrative burden on institutions.
- To consider the role of aggregated anonymous feedback for quality assurance of the overall process in sending and receiving institutions.
- To consider the needs of other types of applicant in addition to the typical 18-year-old, such as the adult in employment.
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To consider the transferability of any system developed to other contexts, including Further Education admissions, postgraduate admissions, and use by employers in providing feedback to job applicants.
Project methodology
EFIFA’s overall approach will be to work with a range of staff and students from schools, and colleagues in Higher Education Institutions to gather user needs and to investigate current practice. This work will inform the development of revised business processes, which will incorporate the required feedback systems, utilising previously identified good practice. Account will be taken of an existing UCAS plan to provide feedback to applicants for 2009 entry, which enables Higher Education Institutions to include their own feedback statements in communications from UCAS to applicants.
Anticipated outputs and outcomes
The main outputs from the project will be a tested prototype implementation of a revised admissions process and an associated report to JISC.
By producing a demonstration of good practice in recording the reasons for admission decisions and in providing feedback to unsuccessful applicants, the project will stimulate reflection on current practice and change towards improved practice across the sector. It will also enable such improvement, by producing a clearly documented and tested prototype for adoption beyond the group of institutions directly involved.
Lead Institution
Project partners