Uncapped environment about student choice

The uncapped tertiary system is about offering students more choice, rather than racing to the bottom of the barrel, according to Swinburne University of Technology Vice-Chancellor Professor Linda Kristjanson.

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) released offers this week, and all eyes are on universities to see how they have responded to a funding system where they are not required to cap enrolments. 

For the first time it has been up to universities, rather than the Federal Government, to decide how many undergraduate places to offer.

According to Professor Kristjanson, Swinburne chose to be sensible with its VTAC offers to ensure educational quality was maintained. 

“We have ensured that we have not decreased the ATAR cut-offs for the majority of our programs,” she said. “We wanted to be sure that the students we are offering places to are well prepared for success. 

“This is also why we made a strategic decision to minimise our reliance on VTAC, giving students more choice in the application process.”

Professor Kristjanson said that students had responded positively to the university’s open and accessible approach. 

“While we have made fewer first round offers through VTAC this year, we have seen very strong demand for programs through our other application channels.

“If you consider all application channels, including direct entry, Swinburne has made close to 10 per cent more offers than this time last year. 

“We made 15 per cent more offers for our programs in the very early rounds of VTAC and our offers made direct to students – in response to increased student demand – have increased by over 120 per cent.

“The direct application process puts us in a better position to assess a student’s suitability for tertiary study. It allows us to take into account factors like work and life experience, making the ATAR less relevant than it once was.” 

Professor Kristjanson said that Swinburne had also established a range of programs and pathways that would prepare students for tertiary education, including a guaranteed entry scheme –giving students a supported transition from TAFE to higher education – as well as a new suite of associate degrees.