Dear D Stelling

I acknowledge receipt of your email received by this office on 08/09/20.

Your request will now be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 and has been allocated reference FOI20-302 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 06/10/20.

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

University Secretary’s Office   Swyddfa Ysgrifenydd y Brifysgol
Cardiff University   Prifysgol Caerdydd
Friary House   Friary House
Greyfriars Road   Heol y Brodyr Llwydion

Cardiff Caerdydd
CF10 3AE   CF10 3AE
     
E-mail: [1][email address]   E-bost:
[2][email address]
 
 
We welcome correspondence in Welsh
or English. Corresponding in Welsh Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth trwy’r
will not lead to any delay. Gymraeg neu’r Saesneg. Ni fydd
gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhyw
oedi.

show quoted sections

Dear D Stelling

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information request dated
08/09/20.

For ease of reference, I have reproduced your questions below and set out
our corresponding responses.

Please can you confirm the number of candidates for A100 Medicine as at
the date of your reply  who have accepted a deferred place from 2020 to
2021 intake.

The admissions cycle for 2020 and 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 to release such information at this stage may impact on its ability
to attract students.

Whilst the University holds information about indicative student intake
targets (student number projections) this is withheld under the exemption
provided by 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 information withheld includes commercially sensitive
information regarding the student number projections for Home (UK/EU) and
International students. 

The recruitment of both Home and International students is a very
competitive environment where UK universities face competition not just
from each other but also from other institutions around the world.
Students are highly mobile and have wide choices over where they may
study. The University’s projected student intake targets consists of
strategic planning information which underpins the University’s corporate
strategy and financial forecasts for the period to 2017/8 and beyond, as
well as informing the University’s student recruitment strategy. The
student number projections are prepared at level of study for Home (UK/EU)
and International students to ensure an appropriate balance between
disciplines, to maintain a diverse student body and in order to achieve
the University’s ambitions for growth, subject to government and funding
body student number controls, where applicable. 

The release of student number projections into the public domain would
prejudice the University’s commercial interests, by allowing competitor
institutions to undermine the University’s recruitment activity. Any loss
of market share and reduction in enrolled student numbers would have
significant impact on the University’s student fee income, with attendant
impact on 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 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.

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

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 market place.

It is not in the public interest to release information that would reduce
the efficiency and effectiveness of the University by having the effect of
damaging the ability of the University to pursue its recruitment
strategies on an equal footing to other public and privately funded
education institutions.

On balance it is considered that it would not be in the public interest to
release the number of student places that the University plans to offer in
the years specified and therefore the information will not be released at
this time.

I trust this information satisfies your enquiry.  The University has a
Freedom of Information Complaints Procedure should you feel dissatisfied
with this response or the way in which your request was handled.
Complaints must be made in writing and must set out why you believe the
University has not met its obligations under the Freedom of Information
Act.  You may email your complaint to [2][email address] where
it will be forwarded to the Head of Assurance Services 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.

University Secretary’s Office   Swyddfa Ysgrifenydd y Brifysgol
Cardiff University   Prifysgol Caerdydd
Friary House   Friary House
Greyfriars Road   Heol y Brodyr Llwydion

Cardiff Caerdydd
CF10 3AE   CF10 3AE
     
E-mail: [3][email address]   E-bost:
[4][email address]
 
 
We welcome correspondence in Welsh
or English. Corresponding in Welsh Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth trwy’r
will not lead to any delay. Gymraeg neu’r Saesneg. Ni fydd
gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhyw
oedi.

References

Visible links
1. http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publicat...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[email address]