We would like to update you on the arrangements for consulting on name-blind applications.
UCAS has agreed to consult with the higher education sector about the feasibility of introducing name-blind applications as outlined in the English Higher Education Green Paper to support the government’s goals on widening participation. This is part of the wider initiative announced by the Prime Minister to tackle unconscious bias in recruitment.
UCAS will be running a consultation in two stages. Initially, we will seek views from universities, colleges and other interested parties about:
- how and when names, and other personal information, are used in the admissions process
- evidence on the benefits and disadvantages of obscuring names and other applicant information at different stages of admissions to tackle unconscious bias
- the extent to which higher education providers would want UCAS and IT suppliers to offer this functionality
We will issue an online questionnaire in early December, alongside a report produced by SPA which will examine the evidence base for unconscious bias in admissions to higher education, the evidence about the effectiveness of the name-blind approach, and describe the operation of the admissions process. The questionnaire will be designed with advice from SPA and a small number of admissions professionals.
Stage 1: Evidence gathering exercise to close in early February to enable the UCAS Board to review the findings and to seek advice from Universities UK, GuildHE, Conservatoires UK, and the Association of Colleges. The findings will be shared at the Admissions Conference at the end of March 2016.
Stage 2: We will work with universities, colleges, advisers, and students to design and develop various solutions to address unconscious bias and support widening participation targets.
While UCAS appreciates that November to January is a very busy time of year for admissions teams, we wish to move quickly to ensure that where appropriate, recommended changes can be incorporated into the development of the new application management service. The current ambition is for the new service to be ready for the 2018 admissions cycle, which opens in May 2017.
The government is also consulting on a range of ideas in the Higher Education Green Paper, including seeking views on proposals to further improve access and success for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and black and minority ethnic backgrounds. Although universities and colleges are welcome to comment on the name-blind admissions proposal when responding to the Green Paper consultation, the UCAS consultation is intended to provide the main vehicle for gathering detailed evidence and feedback on the feasibility of name-blind applications.
Questions about the consultation process should be directed to communications@ucas.ac.uk.