Postgraduate taught admission statistics 2018-2022

KIKI made this Freedom of Information request to School of Oriental and African Studies Automatic anti-spam measures are in place for this older request. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding.

The request was partially successful.

Dear School of Oriental and African Studies,

I am requesting for the following information. Please kindly provide data for 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 admission cycle.

1. List of all postgraduate taught courses
2. Number of applicants (all postgraduate programmes)
3. Number of offers made (all postgraduate programmes)
4. Number of Chinese applications and offers made (all postgraduate programmes)

Yours faithfully,

KIKI

Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies

Dear Kiki,

Thank you for your request for information which has been received by SOAS.

We note that you have only provided a first (or given) name in the body of your email. Please note that, in order to ensure that your request is valid and that the School is obliged to answer it, you will need to provide your full name, or at least a surname.

The UK Information Commissioner's guidance (https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...) states that whilst a public authority can respond to an invalid request, if we do so, the requester will have no recourse to make a complaint to the Commissioner if they are dissatisfied with the response (paragraphs 18 and 19). The guidance also explains what constitutes a real name for the purposes of making a request valid. Please refer to page 7 of the guidance linked to above for further details.

Once we receive your clarification, we will progress your request.

Kind regards,
Vanessa

Information Compliance Team
Information and Technology Directorate
SOAS, University of London
Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
[email address]   | [SOAS request email] 
http://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp

The world's leading institution for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East

show quoted sections

Dear Information Compliance Manager,

I apologise for not providing my full name due to an oversight on my part. I will repeat my question with my full name, thank you for your consideration!

I am requesting for the following information. Please kindly provide data for 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 admission cycle.

1. List of all postgraduate taught courses
2. Number of applicants (all postgraduate programmes)
3. Number of offers made (all postgraduate programmes)
4. Number of Chinese applications and offers made (all postgraduate programmes)

Yours sincerely,

Kiki.Yu(or Jiaqi Yu)

Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies

Dear Kiki Yu,

Thank you for confirming your full name for us.

Could I also please check whether by 'Chinese' you are referring to individuals who give their nationality/place of residency on their application as the area of mainland China governed by the People's Republic of China, as opposed to the other Chinese territories- i.e. Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau?

Once we have received this further clarification we will progress your request.

Kind regards,
Vanessa

Records Manager and Archivist
Information Compliance Team
Information and Technology Directorate
SOAS, University of London
Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
[email address]   | [SOAS request email] 
http://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp

The world's leading institution for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East

show quoted sections

Dear Information Compliance Manager,

Yes!'Chinese'refers to individuals who give their nationality/place of residency on their application as the area of mainland China governed by the People's Republic of China, as opposed to the other Chinese territories- i.e. Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau

Yours sincerely,

KIKI Yu,

Dear Information Compliance Manager,

I haven't received your reply for a long time, so I want to confirm with you whether my request is clear to you? Is there any more information that I need to explain? Looking forward to your reply about the request for admission data if there are no more questions.

Yours sincerely,

KIKI Yu

Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies

Dear Kiki,

Thank you for your email, and apologies for not following up earlier. I can confirm that we have no further questions and that we hold the requested data - we are at present preparing the response.

Kind regards,
Vanessa

Vanessa Bell
Records Manager and Archivist
Information Compliance Team
Information and Technology Directorate
SOAS, University of London
Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
[email address]   | [SOAS request email] 
http://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp

The world's leading institution for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East

show quoted sections

Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies

Dear Kiki
Thank you for your email.
Our records show that you clarified the scope of your request, that it was
limited to mainland China rather than other Chinese territories (Taiwan,
HK etc) in your email of 22 November. Because we needed that clarification
to collate the correct information for you, the 20 working day 'clock' was
reset on 22 November in accordance with section 1(3) of the FOI Act. This
means the date by which you can expect a response is now 21 December 2022.
Notwithstanding the 'reset' clock in relation to your request, we hope to
be able to provide you with your information before 21 December.
Kind regards,
David Ogden
Information Compliance Manager

Information Compliance Team

Information and Technology Directorate 

SOAS, University of London
Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG 

[1][SOAS request email]    |   [2][email address]

For information on how to make a request for information under Data
Protection or Freedom of Information law please visit
[3]https://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp/. 

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: KIKI <[FOI #916933 email]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 2:21 AM
To: Information Compliance Manager <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Postgraduate taught
admission statistics 2018-2022
 
Dear Information Compliance Manager,

I haven't received your reply for a long time, so I want to confirm with
you whether my request is clear to you? Is there any more information that
I need to explain? Looking forward to your reply about the request for
admission data if there are no more questions.

Yours sincerely,

KIKI Yu

show quoted sections

Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies

1 Attachment

FOI2022/223

 

Dear Kiki Yu,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information Act request of 15th November
2022 and your subsequent clarifications of 18th and 22nd November. I have
reproduced your questions below together with SOAS’s response.

 

I am requesting for the following information. Please kindly provide data
for 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 admission cycle.

 

1. List of all postgraduate taught courses

 

2. Number of applicants (all postgraduate programmes)

 

3. Number of offers made (all postgraduate programmes)

 

4. Number of Chinese applications and offers made (all postgraduate
programmes)

 

On 18th November you confirmed your full name, and on 22nd November you
clarified:

 

'Chinese' refers to individuals who give their nationality/place of
residency on their application as the area of mainland China governed by
the People's Republic of China, as opposed to the other Chinese
territories- i.e. Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau

 

Our response

 

1. Please see attached spreadsheet ‘FOI2022-223_SOASPGT courses 2018-23’.

2. – 4.

2022  
Total number of applications 7096
Total number of offers made 6050
Applications from Chinese nationality 468
Offers made to those with Chinese
nationality 425
2021  
Total number of applications 6271
Total number of offers made 5592
Applications from Chinese nationality 439
Offers made to those with Chinese
nationality 411
   
2020  
Total number of applications 5044
Total number of offers made 4818
Applications from Chinese nationality 523
Offers made to those with Chinese
nationality 483
   
2019  
Total number of applications 5665
Total number of offers made 4197
Applications from Chinese nationality 509
Offers made to those with Chinese
nationality 417
   
2018  
Total number of applications 5686
Total number of offers made 4330
Applications from Chinese nationality 499
Offers made to those with Chinese
nationality 370

 

 

Your right to appeal

 

I hope that you are satisfied with this response, but if you are not, you
can ask me for an informal review within 40 working days of receipt of
this response:

Information Compliance Manager

SOAS, University of London

Thornhaugh Street

Russell Square

London WC1H 0XG

United Kingdom

Email: [SOAS request email]

 

If it does not prove possible to resolve your complaint informally, I will
arrange for a formal review of the handling of your request according to
the School's procedures. These can be found on SOAS's website at
[1]http://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp/foi/appea....

 

If you are dissatisfied with SOAS's response following this internal
review, you can apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision on
whether your request has been dealt with in accordance with the
requirements of the Freedom of Information Act or the Environmental
Information Regulations. The Commissioner will normally require you to
have gone through our internal review process first before they consider
your appeal. If the Commissioner finds in your favour, the Commissioner
can require SOAS to release the information to you. The Commissioner can
be contacted at the following address:

Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

United Kingdom

Further information about your right to appeal to the Information
Commissioner is available on the Commissioner's website
([2]http://www.ico.org.uk/).

 

Yours sincerely,

David Ogden

Information Compliance Manager

Information Compliance Team

Information and Technology Directorate

SOAS, University of London
Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
[3][email address]   | [4][SOAS request email] 

[5]http://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp

The world's leading institution for the study of Asia, Africa and the
Middle East

 

From: Information Compliance Manager <[email address]>
Sent: 07 December 2022 10:43
To: KIKI <[FOI #916933 email]>
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Postgraduate taught
admission statistics 2018-2022

 

Dear Kiki

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Our records show that you clarified the scope of your request, that it was
limited to mainland China rather than other Chinese territories (Taiwan,
HK etc) in your email of 22 November. Because we needed that clarification
to collate the correct information for you, the 20 working day 'clock' was
reset on 22 November in accordance with section 1(3) of the FOI Act. This
means the date by which you can expect a response is now 21 December 2022.

 

Notwithstanding the 'reset' clock in relation to your request, we hope to
be able to provide you with your information before 21 December.

 

Kind regards,

 

David Ogden

Information Compliance Manager

 

Information Compliance Team

Information and Technology Directorate 

SOAS, University of London
Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG 

 

[6][SOAS request email]    |   [7][email address]

 

For information on how to make a request for information under Data
Protection or Freedom of Information law please visit
[8]https://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp/. 

 

════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: KIKI <[9][FOI #916933 email]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 2:21 AM
To: Information Compliance Manager <[10][email address]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Postgraduate taught
admission statistics 2018-2022

 

Dear Information Compliance Manager,

I haven't received your reply for a long time, so I want to confirm with
you whether my request is clear to you? Is there any more information that
I need to explain? Looking forward to your reply about the request for
admission data if there are no more questions.

Yours sincerely,

KIKI Yu

show quoted sections

Dear Information Compliance Manager,

Sorry I may not have stated my question clearly. The number of applicants and offers made I referred to is the application and offers made data(both total and Chinese mainland students) for each postgraduate programme for 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 admission cycle.

If you could re-provide these data by each subject , I will be very grateful!

Yours sincerely,

KIKI

Information Compliance Manager,

SOAS Christmas closure 2022
Please note that the School is closed from 5pm on Thursday 22^nd December
to Friday 30^th December 2022, so there will be a delay in acknowledging
requests received during this time. We re-open on Tuesday 3^rd January
2023, when we will acknowledge receipt of any new requests.

Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies

Dear Kiki Yu,
Thank you for your request for information which has been received by
SOAS.

We will provide you with the School’s response as soon as possible and
within 20 working days of the date of your request.
Yours Sincerely,
David Ogden
Information Compliance Manager

Information Compliance Team

Information and Technology Directorate 

SOAS, University of London
Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG 

[1][SOAS request email]    |   [2][email address]

For information on how to make a request for information under Data
Protection or Freedom of Information law please visit
[3]https://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp/. 

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: KIKI <[FOI #916933 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2022 9:30 AM
To: Information Compliance Manager <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Postgraduate taught
admission statistics 2018-2022
 
Dear Information Compliance Manager,

Sorry I may not have stated my question clearly.  The number of applicants
and offers made I referred to is the application and  offers made
data(both total and  Chinese mainland students) for each postgraduate
programme for   2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023
admission cycle.

If you could re-provide these data by each subject , I will be very
grateful!

Yours sincerely,

KIKI

show quoted sections

Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies

Dear Kiki
Further to your FOI request, our Admissions team have informed us that
some of the programmes available in previous academic years are no longer
available on our systems, and therefore applicant/offer numbers cannot be
generated against these programmes.
Please can you confirm whether you would like a partial response for each
admissions cycle requested - 2018/19 to 2022/23, or if you would just like
a complete response for the 2022/23 admissions cycle.
We await your clarification. Once we have received your clarification we
will begin processing your request.
Kind regards,
David

Information Compliance Team

Information and Technology Directorate 

SOAS, University of London
Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG 

[1][SOAS request email]    |   [2][email address]

For information on how to make a request for information under Data
Protection or Freedom of Information law please visit
[3]https://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp/. 

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: KIKI <[FOI #916933 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2022 9:30 AM
To: Information Compliance Manager <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Postgraduate taught
admission statistics 2018-2022
 
Dear Information Compliance Manager,

Sorry I may not have stated my question clearly.  The number of applicants
and offers made I referred to is the application and  offers made
data(both total and  Chinese mainland students) for each postgraduate
programme for   2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023
admission cycle.

If you could re-provide these data by each subject , I will be very
grateful!

Yours sincerely,

KIKI

show quoted sections

Dear Information Compliance Manager,

Thank you for your explanation, I understand!Please just give me a partial response for each admissions cycle requested - 2018/19 to 2022/23。

Yours sincerely,

KIKI

Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies

Dear Kiki Yu,

Thank you for confirming. We will now progress this request for you and you may expect a response within 20 working days.

Kind regards,
Vanessa

Vanessa Bell
Records Manager and Corporate Archivist
Information Compliance Team
Information and Technology Directorate
SOAS, University of London
Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
[email address]   | [SOAS request email] 
http://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp

The world's leading institution for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East

show quoted sections

Information Compliance Manager, School of Oriental and African Studies

1 Attachment

FOI2022/239

Dear Kiki Yu,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information Act request of 27 December 2022 and your subsequent clarification of 29th January 2022. I have reproduced your questions below together with SOAS’s response.

I am requesting for the following information. Please kindly provide data for 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 admission cycle.

1. List of all postgraduate taught courses

2. Number of applicants (all postgraduate programmes)

3. Number of offers made (all postgraduate programmes)

4. Number of Chinese applications and offers made (all postgraduate programmes)

'Chinese' refers to individuals who give their nationality/place of residency on their application as the area of mainland China governed by the People's Republic of China, as opposed to the other Chinese territories- i.e. Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau

The number of applicants and offers made I referred to is the application and offers made data (both total and Chinese mainland students) for each postgraduate programme for 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 admission cycle.

Our response

Please find attached the data requested in the file entitled ‘FOI2022-239_SOASresponse’.

Some information has been withheld under 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, relating to the personal information of others. Where a given figure is 5 or fewer, the School has replaced the figure with ‘equal to or fewer than 5’ (≤5). This is in accordance with guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office where small numbers could lead to the identification of individuals. SOAS has a small student and staff population, and the School considers that individuals could be identified from the very low numbers in combination with other sources, that they would not expect to be identifiable in this way, and that such identification would contravene the first principle of the UK General Data Protection Regulation relating to lawful and fair processing.

Your right to appeal

I hope that you are satisfied with this response, but if you are not, you can ask me for an informal review within 40 working days of receipt of this response:

Information Compliance Manager
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
United Kingdom

Email: [SOAS request email]

If it does not prove possible to resolve your complaint informally, I will arrange for a formal review of the handling of your request according to the School's procedures. These can be found on SOAS's website at http://www.soas.ac.uk/infocomp/foi/appea....

If you are dissatisfied with SOAS's response following this internal review, you can apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision on whether your request has been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act or the Environmental Information Regulations. The Commissioner will normally require you to have gone through our internal review process first before they consider your appeal. If the Commissioner finds in your favour, the Commissioner can require SOAS to release the information to you. The Commissioner can be contacted at the following address:

Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
United Kingdom

Further information about your right to appeal to the Information Commissioner is available on the Commissioner's website (http://www.ico.org.uk/).

Yours sincerely,

David Ogden
Information Compliance Manager

show quoted sections