Net opens way to global admissions system

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service could soon match students and higher education institutions as far away as Malaysia and Taiwan, according to chief executive Tony Higgins.

Greater use of the Internet in the admissions process will allow UCAS to organise overseas admissions systems from its Cheltenham headquarters. It could also sell versions of its software to interested countries.

Taiwan has already asked for advice on how to assess university applicants using more than raw exam data. Representatives from 12 Malaysian universities are spending a week with UCAS next month to look at how to organise mass higher education. The Czech republic and Slovenia have also consulted Ucas.

Mr Higgins said: "Models elsewhere in Europe, where universities accept students on exam performance alone, don't provide the kind of systems they are looking for. We can show them how to take into account wider qualifications. It is always possible that we could run their system from here since everything can now be done via the Internet."

Britain and Holland are the only countries in Europe which compile detailed statistics on participation in higher education, including ethnicity. This information is becoming increasingly important as countries try to improve participation.