1. UK and UCAS update: September 2014
12/11/2018
UK and UCAS update: September 2014
Helen Thorne
Director, Policy & Research, UCAS
12/11/2018

2. 12/11/2018
UK Update: September 2014
12/11/2018

3. UK higher education
Continued divergence between England, NI, Scotland and Wales
Major qualification reforms
Changes to number controls in England driving market in FT UG; controls removed completely for 2015 cycle
Affordability of student finance?
Quality concerns + consumer protection
Welcoming international students v immigration controls
General election May elections in devolved administrations in 2016
12/11/2018

4. 2013 End of Cycle – the headlines
2011
2012
2013
Applicants
700,161
653,637
677,373
% diff to prev
+0.4%
-6.6%
+3.6%
Accepts
492,030
464,910
495,596
+1.0%
-5.5%
+6.6%
Acceptance rate
70%
71%
73%
12/11/2018

5. Applicants by domicile
12/11/2018
Applicants by domicile
Source: Figure 1 from ’UCAS End of Cycle Report 2013’,

6. Acceptances by domicile
12/11/2018
Acceptances by domicile
Source: Figure 2 from ’UCAS End of Cycle Report 2013’,

7. Total applicants at 30 June deadline – % difference to 2013 cycle
12/11/2018
Total applicants at 30 June deadline – % difference to 2013 cycle
12/11/2018

8. 29 August 2014 – acceptances UK 410,880 380,870 405,050 418,280 EU
2011
2012
2013
2014 UK
410,880
380,870
405,050
418,280 EU
25,300
21,830
23,040
24,930
Internat
28,420
29,710
31,660
33,340
12/11/2018

9. 2014 themes
Continuing recovery in applications from UK and EU students
Continued growth in international applications
Changes in subject choice patterns
More offers + more concentration of offers
Changes in patterns of qualification attainment
Expecting record acceptances at cycle end
Closing gap in participation between most and least advantaged
Widening gap in participation between men and women
Winners and losers amongst universities
12/11/2018

10. UCAS IT transformation:
12/11/2018
UCAS IT transformation:
12/11/2018

11. Stabilise, Transition, Transform
12/11/2018
Stabilise, Transition, Transform
Complex and disparate set of technologies, systems and data
Services and processes fragmented
Operational fragility – service failures in 2011 and 2012
Security vulnerability
Increasing costs of support, obsolescence of technology and skills, high cost, complexity and risks of change
Inability to meet the future demands of the business
Stabilise: move to cloud-based technology platform
Transition: procure core-IT partner, outsource and restructure
Transform: simplified service oriented architecture
12/11/2018

12. Objectives of IT transformation
12/11/2018
Objectives of IT transformation
Stable IT platform supporting all critical business services through significantly enhanced reliability across all systems
Enhanced UCAS reputation and satisfaction of customers and members through more reliable and modern IT services
Improved flexibility and responsiveness to meet new business requirements through more efficient IT processes and appropriate IT capability
A scalable IT resource enabling UCAS to better serve peaks in demand in a cost effective manner

13. Current admissions services
12/11/2018
Current admissions services
Service
Scope
Description
UCAS
Full-time undergraduate
UK, other EU, and international students applying for courses at 379 UK universities and colleges
CUKAS
Practice-based music, dance and drama
UK, other EU, and international students applying for courses at X UK conservatoires
UTT
Teacher training
UK , EU and international students applying for teacher training at English, Welsh and NI providers
UKPASS
Postgraduate
UK, other EU, and international students applying for FT PG courses at 18 UK universities
Progress
Post-16 education and training, including apprenticeships
UK students applying for courses at English colleges and sixth forms

14. UCAS’ main IT applications – undergraduate service
12/11/2018
UCAS’ main IT applications – undergraduate service
App
User
Purpose
Course Search
Students, universities & colleges
Enables institutions to advertise courses and students to search for courses
Apply
Students
Enables students to apply for courses
Track
Enables students to follow the progress of their applications, receive offers, make choices, and receive decisions
Course Collect
Universities & colleges
Enables institutions to upload course information to UCAS
Web Link,
ODBC Link,
XML Link
Enables UCAS and institutions to exchange information, including offers and decisions
Topaz
UCAS
Main database
Awarding Body Linkage
Enables UCAS to receive exam results from awarding organisations

15. Main Information Exchanges
12/11/2018
Main Information Exchanges
Awarding Body
Receive Results File
Receive amendment file
Upload courses data
Receive Application
Submit Application
UCAS
Send Decision
Make Payment
Receive response to Offer
Student
HE Providers
Receive Decision (offer/no offer)
Match Results to Offer
Response to Offer
Confirm Place
Confirm Place
Upload Vacancies
Invoice
Pay Invoice
Receipt of Buzzword
Reference Request
Submit Reference
Invoice
Pay Invoice
Schools & Advisors

16. Journey to the Cloud 2012 2013 2014 Web ucas.com Course Search
ODBC Link
XML Link
Track
Course Collect
Web Link
Topaz
Topaz
UCAS
Apply
ABL
Back Office

17. Current Infrastructure – Secure and Reliable

18. Procurement of a Core IT Partner Organisational Design
Key elements of restructuring & outsourcing
Procurement of a Core IT Partner
Organisational Design
Process Design
A procurement to select a preferred Bidder for the outsource of IT services
The design and implementation of the Retained IT organisation
Extensive process definition activity. The outputs will be used by UCAS Retained IT to deliver IT Services in partnership with the Core IT Partner

19. New IT delivery model: UCAS + Infosys
12/11/2018
New IT delivery model: UCAS + Infosys
Retained UCAS IT
Infosys
Customer Engagement
IT Strategy and Architecture
Solution Delivery
Service
Assurance
Infrastructure & Application Management
Retained UCAS IT focuses on high value
activities e.g. IT strategy, business
relationship management and
architecture
Infosys is responsible for delivering
the majority of ‘run’ operations e.g. Service Management, End User
Computing and Applications Management

20. 12/11/2018
Results Day 2014
12/11/2018

21. 12/11/2018
National recognition
Won UK Cloud Awards Best Public Sector Project in recognition of the extensive work to move UCAS systems into the cloud in 2013
Won Computer Weekly European User Awards for Enterprise Software, Public Sector 2014 with Splunk

22. Current Application Architecture Silos
12/11/2018
Current Application Architecture Silos
UCAS.com
Search
Apply
Track
Decide
Search
Apply
Track
Decide
Search
Apply
Track
Decide
Search
Apply
Track
Decide
Search
Apply
Track
Decide

23. Target: Application Architecture – Service Oriented
UCAS.com
Single Sign On
CRM & Campaign Management
Business Rules Engine
Course Search
Apply
Track
Decide
BI & Data Visualization
Document Management
New Orchestration Platform
Data Integration, Enterprise Service Bus, Data Lifecycle Management

24. Questions? Helen Thorne Director, Policy & Research  01242 544627 24