UCAS

💡 Today in UCAS HQ we hosted the 2024 Student Mindset Conference, filled with insight and innovation. Bringing together thought leaders, industry experts, and the student voice, today’s event provided a deep dive into the trends shaping the future of student recruitment and engagement. From exploring the emotional journey of Clearing to the role of AI in content creation, each session offered actionable strategies to support students more effectively and align with their evolving expectations. A special thank you to our fantastic speakers, whose expertise sparked invaluable conversations about the future of student engagement and recruitment: 👉 Nathan Monk, Co-Founder of Prospectus Plus  👉 Nicky Farrow, Louise Ashmore, and Jonny Bliss, from the University of Southampton  👉 Teona Droc and Felicity Lloyd, from UCAS   👉 Jo Richards, from UCAS  👉 Kym Nguyen and Rebecca Hopwood, from QS Quacquarelli Symonds And a huge thank you to our student panel, whose honest reflections on decision-making, university branding, and support needs were a powerful reminder of how important it is to align recruitment strategies with students' evolving priorities. It was great to see over 60 universities and colleges represented, and we hope you left with actionable strategies to shape the future of student engagement and recruitment. A big thank you to all who attended and contributed to the day’s success! 

This week is Estranged Student Solidarity Week (ESSW), run by EaCES, which aims to raise awareness of the challenges estranged students face, as well as the support available. In support of ESSW, we’re sharing the UCAS Fair Access Snapshots, which include data on key characteristics and choices made by UCAS 2023 applicants who shared their circumstances in their UCAS application form.  Students from underrepresented backgrounds often need extra support throughout their discovery journey and when applying to HE. The UCAS Outreach Connection Service enables teachers and advisers to connect their students to the diversity of outreach opportunities offered by HE providers and third-sector organisations- this is available via the Adviser Hub! Key findings from the estranged student snapshot include ⬇️ You can view all the UCAS fair access snapshots, here: https://lnkd.in/ekJy7HMC Find out more about the Outreach Connection Service: https://lnkd.in/exVj5xMn #ESSW #WithEstrangedStudents

Happy International Men’s Day! ♂️👬 Recognised across 80 countries worldwide, we wanted to celebrate the day here at UCAS by acknowledging the amazing men who make a difference in our workplace. Our staff were invited to nominate their colleagues who represent positive male role models and lead with integrity, empathy, and collaboration, fostering a supportive and inclusive working environment. We’re excited to share some of the top nominations including Courteney Sheppard, Richard Hill, Jon Durant, and Connor Briggs, for their fantastic work supporting others, going the extra mile to ensure everyone feels valued and included, and contributing to a positive team culture that makes UCAS a better place. 👏 #IMD2024 #recognition #celebratingstaff

We’re hiring a Cloud Platform Engineer! ☁️ UCAS is seeking a skilled Cloud Platform Engineer to help connect millions of users to UK Higher Education. You’ll collaborate with Product and Platform Engineering teams to drive cloud and coding best practices, managing AWS and GCP infrastructure with a strong focus on automation, security, and efficiency. In this role, you’ll create robust Infrastructure-as-Code pipelines, build scalable and fault-tolerant solutions using a GitOps model, and serve as a subject matter expert in cloud best practices across UCAS. What we offer: 🏖 30 days of annual leave, including 3 concessionary days at Christmas 🕔 Hybrid and flexible working options over a 35-hour week 🎓 Access to our Careers Academy for industry-recognised training 🤝 Active employee networks supporting wellbeing and inclusion If you're interested in shaping the future of education technology at UCAS, find out more about the role here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eA4idz5h. #techjobs #cloudengineering #ucascareers

📢Today, UCAS has released the 15 October early deadline data, which reveals more applicants have applied to early deadline courses, up 1.3% from last year. UCAS press release and data dashboard provides key details into: 📊Disadvantaged students 📝Mature students 🌍 International students 🩺 Applicants to Medicine More insights and the full story available here: https://lnkd.in/egdAv8kS Take a deep dive into the dashboard here: https://lnkd.in/ewsf_p38

UCAS Media is looking for a Non-Executive Director to sit on our Board! 📢 Join us and make an impact supporting over a million students each year through data-driven insights, consultancy, and marketing. We’re looking for someone with expertise in data leadership or early careers, who brings strategic vision, commercial acumen, governance experience, and a commitment to equality and diversity. UCAS Media has partnered with Nurole, the board-level search specialist, to lead this search. If you’re ready to drive change and innovation, learn more and apply here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e2Add5M9. For an informal conversation, reach out to [email protected]. #ucasmedia #careers #joinourteam

This evening we’re joining the campaign ‘Light Up for Care Leavers’, by lighting up UCAS’ office, Rosehill, in blue.   The campaign aims to support and recognise care leavers, as well as to raise awareness of their achievements and challenges.  UCAS is committed to ensuring all students are supported in their higher education journey, and our website offers wealth of advice for care leavers, teachers, careers advisers and university providers. If you’re a teacher or careers adviser supporting a care leaver progress to university or college, you can view UCAS’ toolkit here: https://lnkd.in/eY7Dq3h2   If you’re supporting a young person applying to HE but not familiar with the UCAS process, our Step-by-Step Guide is for you: https://lnkd.in/eRXnShn6  If you are a care experienced student yourself and are discovering your options, you can read more about the support available here: https://lnkd.in/g2eP3FAm  #NCLW #LightUpForCareLeavers 

We were delighted to contribute to the National Apprenticeship Week 2025 toolkit which has just launched! Take a look at the #NAW2025 guidance and images to help you plan your activities, with tailored guides for: - Employers and stakeholders 💼 - Schools, colleges and providers 🏫 - Individuals, apprentices and parents 👨⚕️ #Apprenticeships #SkillsForLife Apprenticeships

Next week, we’re supporting National Care Leavers Week and The Fostering Network’s #TickTheBox campaign with a range of events to provide guidance on how best to support care experienced students.  One of UCAS’ aims is to ensure all students are supported in their higher education journey, including their decision-making and UCAS application. We encourage applicants who have experience of care to ‘tick the box’ on their UCAS application form, opening a door to additional support from universities and colleges – which may include bursaries and scholarships, accommodation, and support with mental health and wellbeing. 💭UCAS is on the road this week and throughout National Care Leavers Week, with sessions listed below and registration links in the comments: -The Fostering Network's 'Tick the Box' webinar – UCAS featured alongside NNECL, Become, and the University of York -Careers Circle Webinar - 'How to support care experienced students' with UCAS’ Nicola Turner. -UCAS Adviser Live: ‘How to support students with individual needs.’ ➡️If you are supporting a young person but have little or no knowledge of the UCAS process, we’ve developed a new Step-by-Step Guide just for you: https://lnkd.in/eMaUWh94  For teachers and advisers familiar with UCAS, our Toolkit offers practical suggestions throughout the process: https://lnkd.in/eY7Dq3h2  #NCLW2024 #TickTheBox

Introducing our brand-new LinkedIn page with dedicated support, advice, and guidance for teachers and advisers 👨🏫 We’re here to empower you to help your students make informed decisions about the future. Follow UCAS for Advisers for: 🎓 The latest updates on UCAS and educational developments  📚 Expert tips to help students explore their career paths  📝 Essential resources to assist with supporting applications  💼 Guidance on apprenticeships, CVs, and more! https://lnkd.in/e2WyyMtU #Teachers #IAG #CareersAdvice #HigherEducation