11 Jul 06

The University and the Colleges have ratified a Common Framework for Colleges and Faculties which lays down key principles and procedures for undergraduate admissions.

The Common Framework is the result of extensive consultation involving colleges, faculties, departments and divisions following the publication last November of a review of undergraduate admissions undertaken by a working party led by the Chair of the Admissions Executive, Sir Tim Lankester.

He said: 'The Common Framework is an important document. It reinforces the key principles by which our undergraduate admissions system has been guided for a long time, and sets out a number of ideas as to how they can best be implemented. Going forward, it will be a useful tool for everyone who is involved in admissions in the faculties and departments and in the colleges in reviewing their admissions arrangements and ensuring that they are adhering to best practice. It will also provide reassurance to applicants and schools and colleges about the principles which are being followed at Oxford.

'The detailed implementation of the Common Framework will now be worked out for the admissions round 2007and we will be ensuring that schools, colleges and applicants get full information on any process changes that are relevant to them in good time.'

Key issues for the working party were how to make our admissions procedures more transparent and easily understood; how to further improve our assessment methods and arrangements; and how to ensure that selection is unaffected by candidates' choice of college. The review acknowledged that Oxford already puts a huge amount of effort and considerable resources into the selection process and that to a large degree the admissions system works well. It suggested, however, that there was scope for improvement in some areas.

The Common Framework reflects a broad consensus in the Colleges and in the University on what should be best practice in the way undergraduate admissions are handled. Subject to the overriding principle that applicants should be selected who have the most potential to excel in their chosen subjects, departments and faculties will continue to be able to adapt their procedures to fit their particular needs. Colleges will continue to have the final say over whom they admit; but they will be guided by the central banding of candidates by faculties based on the whole range of information arising from the selection process. Where a college wishes to offer a place to a candidate below the selection threshold, it will be required to explain the reasons to the relevant faculty with reference to the agreed admissions criteria.

The Common Framework was approved by the Conference of Colleges, the University's Educational Policy and Standards Committee and Council.