NETT Recruitment-Admissions Interactive Review Congruence Survey for case study 1 Relationship between recruitment and admissions activity

Staff breakdown

Staff training Do you feel you have been offered sufficient information, training and support on recruitment and admissions?

Staff training Could have been more training resources, or a training session to explain general overview. Training strategy seemed to be to learn as go along. Would have been useful for more communication regarding this strategy. I feel I know a minimum level which is enough for my role but ideally I'd like more so I can spot 'opportunities' better. Online information bank with key pieces of information useful for new staff eg key dates and work that takes place each year? On the job training as needs arise Attended a 'writing for the web' and Google Analytics courses which has helped improve web style and content. Always plenty of information given on any updates and training required. HELOA involvement Lots of staff development and training offered and is still being continuously offered. I am still a fairly new member of staff so I feel that my knowledge is not at the full standard yet but that it will be in time with more experience. More of a detailed overview of the admissions process providing context from last year's cycle and on university wide targets would be beneficial to put offer making into context (from management). More information and context on: fee status, setting max number of offers and ratios, international process, interview process and procedures, APEL process, under 18s process (management/ colleagues). A more in-depth understanding on the overall university recruitment and admissions strategy that underpins what we do would help to put work into context (management/ senior leadership). I haven't had any training/information on admissions. Everything that I know I have picked up myself from asking questions to Admissions staff and doing independent reading. Perhaps there could be some training delivered by admissions staff on the process as this comes up a lot in my role (especially around mature learners). An Away Day discussing strategies and key moments in the recruitment cycle. Introductions to every member of the three teams.

Staff congruence Set of questions comparing what respondents’ current understanding is with what they feel it should be: Congruence = match between what ‘is’ and what ‘should be’ The greater the divergence, the greater potential for unfulfilment  in a recruitment or admissions context this could lead to unprofessionalism: misunderstanding between staff, poor decisions, incorrect IAG, missed targets … It should be easier to treat/redress slight divergence with increased information, communication, training Wide divergence may indicate a trickier problem to treat

Congruence A response on the red dotted line is congruent Responses slightly away from the red dotted line (by about one grid point) are slightly incongruent Responses further away are highly incongruent Incongruence up and to the left of the dotted line is probably of greater concern but be wary of potential overconfidence suggested by incongruence down and to the right

My understanding of both recruitment and admissions strategies within my institution

My understanding of recruitment activity within my institution

My understanding of admissions activity within my institution

My understanding of the concerns of prospective students and their advisors

My understanding of external policy and funding changes impacting on student entry to my institution

My understanding of the internal policies that concern student entry to my institution

My understanding of the analysis of any ethical, equality impact or widening participation considerations for student entry to my institution

My understanding of the quality, reliability and sources of data used to analyse recruitment and admission activity in my institution

Additional suggestions Do you have any suggestions or recommendations for improving the effectiveness of recruitment and admissions in your institution? Team brief on any changes Academic staff need to be more aware of the link between recruitment and admissions, as they do not always seem to realise that by not getting involved in recruitment activities, they are affecting the admissions to their courses the following year. Recruitment - give us priority for rooms when timetabling large scale important recruitment / conversion activities. I think we may need to get more advertisements out to schools and colleges as to how we can work with them. I know there was a concern that due to several people leaving and the change in address for the general that we may have lost contacts and/or lost out on being invited to events. More collaboration between departments. More involvement from Academics. Greater work needed to bring all academics fully into the 'fold'. Recruitment is a competitive business which we undertake ethically and with integrity. But it is still competitive and we need all involved to understand this and amend behaviours accordingly and appropriately

Survey feedback Based on your experience of taking this survey, would you say it has been useful?