Establishing a National Data Collection of Applications and Offers for University Places: Discussion Paper

In the past, stakeholders have relied on statistics from individual institutions, state based Tertiary Admissions Centres and the media during the applications and offers process from about November to February each year to gain an understanding of the strength of student demand and the ability of the higher education sector to supply graduates. This has caused confusion due to the non standard nature of these statistics and the differences in timing of their release.

The potential to develop a comprehensive, national data collection of applications and offers for university places has been made possible by the 2007-08 Budget Realising Our Potential package. Under the Allowing More Responsive Universities measure, funding agreements for universities will reflect improved requirements for governance, financial accountability, quality and data reporting in return for more flexible arrangements for funding student places.

The improved data reporting requirements will involve the provision of data on applications and offers for university places to DEST. This data will be consolidated to form a new data collection that will make standardised, comprehensive data on applications and offers for university places simultaneously available to all stakeholders. DEST will also coordinate, manage and publish reports on this data.

A new national system for managing and reporting on applications and offers data is a significant undertaking. DEST will consult widely with higher education providers, Tertiary Admissions Centres, peak bodies and other interested parties to identify the most efficient and effective way to establish the new data collection. This discussion paper is the first step in that consultation process. Submissions are invited on the discussion paper until 20 August 2007, with specific focus on the best way to establish the new data collection. 

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