Today I attended a meeting at UCAS which spelled out in detail the changes to applications to Art and Design courses in Britain.
These changes are being dressed up as being of benefit to students but in my view the new procedure benefits no one - least of all students.
Anyone who has ever been on an Art and Design Foundation course will know that it is a post 'A' level year where students receive a broad Art and Design experience, enabling them to choose the area of Art (or Design) that they wish to study at University.
In the past students have applied for HE courses around March when they have had time to digest the vagiaries, nuances and implications of the subject they have chosen to study.
The new arrangement calls for applications to be received by 15th January by most institutions - although a significant proportion of institutions have elected to stay with the later deadline - thus depriving students of the time and understanding of their subject.
This spells disaster - for students, institutions and for the creative industries in Britain.