By Gavin Mackintosh-
The British government has called on universities to air on the side of caution in their chase of undergraduates for next September. The practise of unconditional offers by Universities has been criticised in the past, but concerns that universities are revisiting the practise to take in students they believe are strong has led to early warnings that their actions could have damaging effects on the educational system.
After the British government’s announcement that this year’s summer exams including A-levels and Sats were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, some universities have decided to switch offers from conditional to unconditional in order to secure new recruits for the 2020/21 academic year. The universities minister, Michelle Donelan has called for a two weeks pause as the sector addresses the admissions turmoil.
”We are facing unprecedented circumstances as a country, but it is essential that we create a period of stability for both students and universities.
As universities seek to secure attendance for the next academic year, I would ask them to refrain from changing existing offers to unconditional offers as it risks destabilising the entire admissions systems. We must also look out for students too who in these uncertain times may be feeling anxious about their futures. I want to reassure students that we will provide them with the grades they need.
Like almost every other sector, universities face huge uncertainties over the coming months as a result of the pandemic, with fears that many already in deficit risk financial ruin as international students stay away and uncertainty about when the new academic year can start”.