Dear David Kang

I acknowledge receipt of your email received by this office on 16 August 2021.

Your request will now be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and has been allocated reference FOI21-323 which should be quoted in all correspondence. We will respond to your request within 20 working days starting the next working day after receipt, therefore you can expect to receive a response no later than 14 September 2021.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and, if that is the case, we will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.
Yours sincerely

Swyddfa Ysgrifenydd y Brifysgol
Prifysgol Caerdydd
Ebost : [email address]

Mae'r Brifysgol yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg neu'n Saesneg. Ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhwy oedi.

University Secretary's Office
Cardiff University
Email: [email address]

The University welcomes correspondence in Welsh or English. Corresponding in Welsh will not lead to any delay.

show quoted sections

Dear Dave Kang

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information request dated16
August 2021.

For ease of reference, I have reproduced your question(s) below and set
out our corresponding response(s).

I would like to know how many applicants did you select with a band 3 in
the situational judgement for interview and how many of those were
successful after interview for the years 2019,2020 and 2021 for BDS
dentistry admissions.

2019 – Band 3 Interview 54, Successful after interview 37

2020 – Band 3 Interview 79, Successful after interview 78

Also will a higher ucat score make up for a lower situational judgment
band and is the determining of offers solely based upon interview
performance?

Cardiff University will be scoring 5 areas of the UCAS application which
will be GCSEs obtained, A Levels predicted, UCAT overall score, UCAS SJT
Banding and the personal statement.  All of these areas will receive equal
weighting and the highest scoring candidates will be invited for a
Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). Offers given after the MMI are based on how
well the candidate performed in the interview.

The admissions cycle for 2021 entry is still in progress. The University
is unable to release information on the current cycle of applications in
light of Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act. The University
operates in a competitive environment for students and feels that
releasing such information at this stage may impact on its ability to
attract students. The University holds this information however we
consider this information exempt from disclosure under S43(2) of the
Freedom of Information Act entitled “Commercial Interests”. In
particular, section 43(2) states that information is exempt if its
disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the
commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding
it). 

The release of information on applications and offers for the current
admissions period into the public domain would be highly likely to
prejudice the University’s commercial interests. We consider that
releasing this information would be likely to influence admissions
practices of individual applicants, and this would be likely to impact on
recruitment offers and outcomes and potentially disrupt the admissions
processes across the sector and undermine the principles of competition
law. 

Any loss of market share and reduction in enrolled student numbers would
have a significant impact on the University’s student fee
income and would further impact the University’s long term financial
sustainability. As public funding sources for higher education have
declined, student fee income has become an increasingly important source
of income and is a key factor in ensuring the University’s long term
financial sustainability. The ability for the universities in general, and
Cardiff University in particular as a major research intensive university
in Wales, to compete effectively in a global market is an important
strategic objective as set out by the Welsh Government in 'For Our Future:
the higher education strategy plan for Wales' and in the Welsh Government
Policy Statement on Higher Education which is available
at: [1]http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publicat...
is also important that Cardiff University is able to continue competing on
an equal footing with similar large, research intensive institutions in
the UK and overseas.  

Based on the above it is considered that the commercial interest of the
University would be likely to be prejudiced by release and as such the
Section 43(2) exemption is engaged.  

In applying the Section 43 exemption the University has taken account of
the public interest as required by the Act. The University has reviewed
the arguments in favour of disclosing the information (openness and
transparency in public life) and found them to be outweighed by the
greater general public interest in protection of the University's
competitive edge and market positioning. 

The University must consider the public interest test when applying this
exemption and this is considered below. 

Public Interest Test 

Factors in Favour of Disclosure 

It is in the public interest to release information that provides a
greater public understanding of the way the University operates and its
provisions for future delivery of its services. 

Factors in Favour of Non-disclosure 

It is not in the public interest to release information that would be
likely to damage the commercial interests of the University by undermining
its ability to compete in the marketplace.  

It is not in the public interest to release information that would disrupt
the admissions processes across the sector and undermine the principles of
competition law. 

On balance it is considered that it would not be in the public interest to
release this information and therefore the information will not be
released at this time. 

I trust this information satisfies your enquiry. Should you feel
dissatisfied with this response or the way in which your request was
handled you can request an Internal Review. This should be made in writing
within 40 working days of the date of this email. Please provide your
unique reference number of your request, information on why you are
dissatisfied and any detail you would like us to consider as part of the
Internal Review process. Email your request to
[2][email address] where it will be forwarded to the Head of
Compliance and Risk who will be responsible for overseeing the review.

If you remain dissatisfied following the outcome of your complaint, you
have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for
consideration. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at the
following address: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Cardiff University. If you require further assistance please feel free to
contact me.

Kind regards

Gwasanaeth Cais am Wybodaeth   Information Request Service

Cydymffurfiaeth a Risg Compliance & Risk

Swyddfa Ysgrifennydd y Brifysgol University Secretary’s Office
Prifysgol Caerdydd   Cardiff University
     
Ebost: [3][email address]   Email: [4][email address]

Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth trwy’r We welcome correspondence in Welsh
Gymraeg neu’r Saesneg or English

References

Visible links
1. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlo...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[email address]