Thursday 13 December 2012: GuildHE comment on UCAS figures

Commenting on the UCAS End of Cycle Report 2012 – GuildHE CEO, Andy Westwood, said:

“We are pleased to see that demand for higher education has largely been maintained amongst 18 year olds and that more disadvantaged students of that age group are getting into university. We are also pleased to note that more applicants are getting into their first choice university.

“But there is an overall drop in numbers – even accounting for deferrals – that is worrying. The UK needs more, not less, human capital. And whilst demand for higher education continues to outstrip supply, this year’s ‘clearing’ process has failed to match large numbers of well qualified applicants with courses and universities that might have suited them.

“Policy often focuses too narrowly on 18 year olds leaving school or college and we are concerned that it is demand from other groups that has declined quite significantly this year. We believe that Government, working with universities and colleges should redouble efforts to offer more choices, provide better information and attract a much broader range of students into higher education.”

For more information and comment, please contact:

Andy Westwood

CEO, GuildHE

Tel: 020 7387 7711

Mobile: 07970 007142

Email: andy.westwood@guildhe.ac.uk 

Notes to editors

1. GuildHE is one of the two recognised representative bodies for Higher Education in the UK, representing universities, specialist colleges and other institutions providing higher education programmes.

2. The UCAS End of Cycle report 2012 will be published on the UCAS website https://www.ucas.ac.uk/