{"id":559543,"date":"2021-01-25T04:01:12","date_gmt":"2021-01-25T04:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/blackboards\/why-the-new-private-sector-university-application-system-seems-antithetical-to-a-private-sector-university-system\/"},"modified":"2021-01-25T04:01:12","modified_gmt":"2021-01-25T04:01:12","slug":"why-the-new-private-sector-university-application-system-seems-antithetical-to-a-private-sector-university-system","status":"publish","type":"blackboard","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/blackboards\/why-the-new-private-sector-university-application-system-seems-antithetical-to-a-private-sector-university-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the new private sector university application system seems antithetical to a private sector university system"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a> Why the new private sector university application system seems antithetical to a <\/strong>private sector university system: <\/strong>The Higher Education Ministry is launching a centralized platform<\/a> for private university applications. We\u2019ve laid out the structure of the new system<\/a>, and why there was a need to launch it<\/a> \u2014 primarily that it stops private universities admitting students who fail to meet their academic criteria because they can pay or have connections.<\/p>\n

But concerns exist primarily over choice:<\/strong> The electronic platform will allocate students to universities based on their final grade, superseding choices made by the students or universities. This is very concerning, students, parents and university operators tell Enterprise.<\/p>\n

Universities worry they might not reach their student target numbers: <\/strong>The platform\u2019s distribution mechanism could leave some universities short on student quotas, hitting profits, says Chinese University president Ashraf El Shehi. Ironically, this might force some universities to lower their admissions requirements and accept less qualified candidates to stay afloat, he adds. This would have a knock-on effect on their reputations.<\/p>\n

A final round of students who didn\u2019t make the system should resolve the issue- gov\u2019t:<\/strong> Universities will choose what percentage of students they accept from the Thanaweya Amma and other systems, with the Tansik-style platform allocating numbers accordingly, head of the Supreme Council of Private Universities Mohamed Helmy Al Ghar tells Enterprise. If universities have vacancies after the process has finished, they can accept students directly, he confirms.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s anxiety all round about losing the right to select candidates using criteria beyond the final grade. <\/strong>This is an area of major concern, says one school operator, speaking on condition of anonymity. \u201cIf I have two candidates with similar final grades, I might prefer to choose the sports player, or the person with strong entrepreneurial skills. A difference of just 1 or 2% isn\u2019t that important to me,\u201d they add.<\/p>\n

The final grade on its own isn\u2019t sufficient demonstration of ability,<\/strong> agree El Shehi and Future University of Egypt head Ebada Sarhan. Using the final grade as the sole criteria for admissions and distribution fails to take into account foreign language competency and interpersonal skills \u2014 which private universities place great value on, they add.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, private universities should be able to choose<\/strong> between students within the same grade range, if they have other criteria to use when evaluating them, says the school operator.<\/p>\n

The government argues that as long as private universities can set their own admissions tests and control expenses, they retain autonomy. <\/strong>This means private universities won\u2019t be compromised in terms of the investment value they provide, says Al Ghar. Some operators agree with this notion, including El Shehi and Badr University president Mustafa Kamal.<\/p>\n

The problem of choice weighs heavy on parents and students: <\/strong>A student that\u2019s unhappy with the university he\u2019s been assigned to has to wait a year to reapply or transfer, according to the Supreme Council of Private Universities guidelines. To parents paying for their children to attend private university, this is highly problematic and makes no sense, says parent Manar Mohammed, who is essentially in favor of a centralized admissions platform. \u201cThe idea is that with private universities, I have the ability to choose in a way I can\u2019t with public universities,\u201d agrees Mostafa, a BUE student.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s likely to prompt parents to rescind support: <\/strong>\u201cIf this is the case, I wouldn\u2019t welcome the system anymore,\u201d agrees Mohammed. \u201cIf my child is eligible for several universities, she should be able to choose between them. I don\u2019t see why you wouldn\u2019t allow for that,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the point of even having a private sector?<\/strong> Evenly distributing students is a public sector approach, and applying it to private universities misses the point, some argue. \u201cThe private sector doesn\u2019t work like that,\u201d says academic Elizabeth Buckner, assistant professor of higher education at the University of Toronto, who has written extensively<\/a> on education policies in Egypt and the region. If some private universities are in high demand because of their quality, reputation, or specialized degree programs, that\u2019s a sign of sectoral strength. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to see a convincing argument for the government evenly distributing students within private sector institutions,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

And though many countries have centralized admissions systems, few are both administrative and regulatory, like Egypt\u2019s platform.<\/strong> \u201cTrying to achieve both aims definitely sounds like a challenge,\u201d says Buckner. Systems like the UK\u2019s UCAS<\/a> are purely administrative.<\/p>\n

Fears are heightened by a lack of clear information: <\/strong>Much is still unknown about the new system, compounding worries that it may not work as planned, or that distribution delays could leave universities short of students, says the school operator. \u201cWe don\u2019t know when the window for admission through the unified platform will open and close, or when universities can start accepting students directly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The official line is \u2018wait and see,\u2019 but apprehension is evident:<\/strong> It\u2019s too early to judge the system before it\u2019s been tested, says Kamal. Many officials echo this comment. But off the record, sources report concern that information about the system\u2019s implementation has been so limited. Failure to address the all-important issue of choice is the biggest problem of all, they say.<\/p>\n

Your top education stories for the week:<\/strong><\/p>\n