Number of HLC Applications 2020

The request was refused by University of Liverpool.

Dear University of Liverpool,

I would like to request the number of applications made to all HLC programmes this academic year (i.e. for students starting in September 2020), on or before 15th January 2020.

Please could this be broken down by degree and gender if possible, and include undergraduate and postgraduate applications.

Yours faithfully,

Zhang Hua

foi Uof Liverpool, University of Liverpool

1 Attachment

Dear Zhang Hua

This is to acknowledge receipt of your request for information from
the University of Liverpool.   Your reference number is FOI/2020/140. We
will review and process your request as soon as possible.

We will respond within 20 working days of the day we received the
request.  You will hear back from us by 7 April at the latest. If for any
reason we are unable to meet this deadline, we will keep you fully
informed of the reasons for this.

If you have any queries about this email or your request or if at any
stage you are unhappy with the way in which your request is being handled
please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Yours sincerely

 

Kirsty Rothwell
Freedom of Information Officer / Data Protection Co-ordinator
Legal & Governance

University of Liverpool, Foundation Building, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L69
7ZX

 

The information in this email and any attachments is confidential. Unless
you are the intended recipient, you must not read, copy, distribute, use
or retain this message or any part of it. If you are not the intended
recipient, please notify the sender immediately.

 

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foi Uof Liverpool, University of Liverpool

1 Attachment

FOI/2020/140

11 March 2020

 

Name:  Zhang Hua

By email to: [FOI #653583 email]

 

Thank you for your email of 9 March requesting information from the
University of Liverpool.  Colleagues have provided the information
requested below.

 

I would like to request the number of applications made to all HLC
programmes this academic year (i.e. for students starting in September
2020), on or before 15th January 2020. Please could this be broken down by
degree and gender if possible, and include undergraduate and postgraduate
applications.

 

Although the University holds the information you requested, it will not
supply it to you because this information is exempt under Section 43
(commercial interest) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).  

 

The University is in competition with other universities to recruit
students. As we are currently mid-way through both our undergraduate and
postgraduate recruitment period for 2020 entry, sharing our current
position such as the number of applications and offers made would be
likely to have a detrimental impact by giving our competitors information
which could be useful to their marketing campaigns. We believe this would
be likely to harm our market position.

Section 43 is a qualified exemption and as such a public interest test must be performed to establish the harm that would occur from disclosure, and where the balance of interest lies.  We recognise that release of information concerning how the University spends its money is always considered to be in the public interest and that the public should be aware that financial operations of the University are being conducted appropriately.

The public interest in non-disclosure lies in that, to disclose specific
information that is not already in the public domain, would make the
information available to our competitors and is then likely to be used to
gain an unfair advantage. This would harm the public interest by
preventing the University from competing fairly in the market place;
accordingly our decision is to withhold the information.

If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your request for
information, you have a right under Section 50 of the Freedom of
Information Act to ask the University to review it; however, you must do
so within 40 working days of the date of this response. Your request
should include our reference number and explain the reason for requesting
a review. Email [University of Liverpool request email] or write to the Freedom of Information
Reviewer, Legal & Compliance, University of Liverpool, Foundation
Building, 765 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L69 7ZX.  We will respond to your
request for an internal review within 20 working days of receipt.

 

Following an internal review, if you remain dissatisfied with the handling
of your request, you have a right to appeal to the Information
Commissioner at The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House,
Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF. Telephone:  0303 123 1113
www.ico.org.uk.

 

There is no charge for making an appeal.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Kirsty Rothwell
Freedom of Information Officer  / Data Protection Co-ordinator
Legal & Governance

University of Liverpool, Foundation Building, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L69
7ZX

 

The information in this email and any attachments is confidential. Unless
you are the intended recipient, you must not read, copy, distribute, use
or retain this message or any part of it. If you are not the intended
recipient, please notify the sender immediately.

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