European Commission

European Commission: Study on the Impact of Admission Systems on Higher Education Outcomes

A large scale international project on admissions systems at institutions around the world. 

Client

European Commission

HESA, in consortium with Forschungsinstitut für Bildungs-und Sozialökonomie (FiBS) and UEFISCDI, was selected by the European Commission to conduct a largescale international project on admissions systems at institutions around the world.  The project seeks to answer three questions: How do schools recruit students? How do universities and colleges move students through the admissions funnel? How do students ultimately choose PSE institutions?  To answer these questions, we are conducting a systems-level mapping of admissions systems in all EU-member states. In addition, we are conducting eight additional national case studies from around the world in order to provide a more detailed view of the dynamics of PSE admissions systems, and how they operate in practice.  We are also conducting national focus groups with students in eight countries in order to determine how they select institutions.  The objective of this study is to identify strengths and weaknesses of admission systems, and to analyze the extent to which strengths could be replicable in higher education systems around the world.  In addition, we will present the EC with a sries of strategies and policy mix alternatives in order to optimize admissions programs across the European Union.