Dear Lola Klopp,

I acknowledge receipt of your email/letter received by this office on 14
June 2021.

Your request will now be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 and has been allocated reference FOI21-249 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 13 July 2021.

Please note that in order to fulfil your request we need to liaise with
other teams across the University. Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic
most staff are now working remotely, and it is possible that there will be
a delay in responding to your request. Staff may not be able to assist as
they may need to prioritise other work, cover for colleagues who are ill
or be away from work themselves due to illness. However, we will do our
best to meet this deadline and keep you informed should we be unable to do
so.

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 Ysgrifennydd y Brifysgol University Secretary’s Office

Ebost : [1][email address] Email: [2][email address] 
 
 
 
We welcome correspondence in Welsh
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth trwy’r or English. Corresponding in Welsh
Gymraeg neu’r Saesneg. Ni fydd gohebu will not lead to any delay.
yn Gymraeg yn creu unrhyw oedi.
 
 
 
 
 
 

show quoted sections

Dear Lola Klopp

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information request dated 14
June 2021.

Please see the attached spreadsheet for information held on 2020 entry.

The University holds some information regarding 2021 entry 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 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
decide to study.

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, by allowing competitor
institutions to undermine the University’s recruitment activity by
responding with different approaches to offer making, particularly in the
run up and during the confirmation and clearing period. We further
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.

Disclosure of this information would reveal details of the outcome of the
University’s recruitment activities and strategy and to release this
information into the public domain would enable our competitors to benefit
by adapting their offer making strategies and altering their behaviour in
the run up and during confirmation and clearing; as well as benefitting by
copying our strategy or programmes. In so doing this will affect the
University’s ability to distinguish itself from its competitors in a
highly competitive market.

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....
It 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 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 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

Swyddfa Ysgrifenydd y Brifysgol University Secretary’s Office

Prifysgol Caerdydd Cardiff University

Ebost : [3][email address] Email: [4][email address] 
 
 
 
The University welcomes
Mae'r Brifysgol yn croesawu correspondence in Welsh or English. 
gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg neu'n Saesneg.  Corresponding in Welsh will not lead
Ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn creu to any delay.
unrhwy oedi.

References

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