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Manchester ARTICLES

Manchester Uni May Lower Entry Requirements

16th May 2008

Manchester University is considering lowering its tough entry requirements in an attempt to attract more students from underprivileged backgrounds. A report by the University’s vice-chancellor Alan Gilbert says that a new admissions system with a variety of entry grades and “differential offers” is the best way to become a more “inclusive institution” and appeal to these people.

In the report, Professor Gilbert warns that the University is moving further away from its “benchmarks for widening participation.” He said: “We aim to be an inclusive institution and therefore need to adopt more systematic measures to enable identification and selection of the best possible students from all educational backgrounds.” Placing a focus on students from all educational backgrounds is vital to the University, as universities throughout the UK are being encouraged to take more on students from poorer families.

Professor Gilbert also said that there was a need for “more sophisticated measures of academic performance to identify the most outstanding students.” A Manchester University spokesperson said that the review suggested ways to identify the best students, as well as covering a wide range of other subjects. The spokesperson said: “What we want is the best students and the review is looking at how we can identify the most talented students.” However, the spokesperson was keen to emphasise that the review was at a very early stage.

Since 2004, universities throughout the UK have been forced to consider the background of potential students, as well as their academic achievements. Indeed, a recent review of university admissions suggested that achieving a B grade at A-Level might mean more for a pupil who had to overcome obstacles than a pupil from a middle-class background.

By 2010, the government aims to provide 50% of young adults in the UK with a university education.

Source:

BBC