University of Nottingham’s Ula Tang-Plowman talks IDP Live

Recently rebranded as FastLane, our dynamic fast-track service allows students to receive an offer almost instantly and represents the future of higher education enhancing the collaboration between students and universities. We spoke with Ula Tang-Plowman to discuss how IDP Live and FastLane is transforming the way students navigate the mammoth task of choosing the right course at the right institution for them.  

What challenges were you experiencing that led you to look to IDP Live to support your recruitment strategy?    

Like many other Russell Group universities, the University of Nottingham has experienced a healthy increase in our applications number through many of our recruitment channels and our key markets. However, a large number of those applications are actually not suitable for our programmes, or they were for the wrong programmes, so our admissions team spent a lot of time on those applications that would never convert. Our conversion rate is quite low and that has been a challenge for many universities like us. 

How do you think IDP Live  will  help you overcome these challenges? 

Taking part in the IDP Live and offer in principle project allows us to turn our admissions criteria and academic rules on the programmes that we have chosen for this project. Students who are interested in those programmes would be able to go through those academic criteria and rules to self-select. And at the end of the process, if they qualify and meet all of our academic criteria, they will be able to receive an offer in principle straight away. And after receiving the offer in principle, IDP’s experienced consultants will then get in touch with the students to authenticate and verify their qualifications to make sure that we have the right student, the right candidate, for the right programme and to help us increase our conversion rate.

What gives IDP Live and its fast-tracked recruitment capabilities the edge in the market? 

The IDP Live and offer in principle project is based on IDP’s large IT infrastructure, so the programme and the applicants have access to IDP’s well-established database to know the market trends and the market demand. The advice and recommendation that IDP has given to us at the beginning of the programme set-up was suitable for the university and for our programmes. IDP Live is built or based on the large network of IDP’s physical global offices, so students obtaining an offer in principle will meet with one of IDP’s experienced consultants to talk about their choices and go through their application process. That ensures they are applying for the right programme that is suitable for their own background and their career plan. For us, I think we are leveraging on IDP’s really big network, strong IT infrastructure and global offices.

What synergies do you see between IDP Live’s student-centred  approach and your own institution’s values  and key strengths?  

Very similar to IDP, the University of Nottingham puts students in the centre of everything we do, not only in teaching and programme design and all the on-campus facilities and services, but also throughout the whole applicant journey. Before applicants become a Nottingham student, we always want to match the right programme with the right qualification and right candidate so that everything we offer is right for the student and is right for their career plan. I think that is very similar to IDP’s principles. 

Why do you think it’s important that innovative technology, like IDP Live, is leading the sector rebound in the UK?  

The university sector as a whole, has not been the most adventurous and risk-taking. IDP as a private player in the sector is really leading and pushing universities to be the best in the game, so we are really pleased and glad to be part of IDP’s innovative journey and adventurous risk-taking principles. We would really like to be part of that and take advantage of this hybrid approach, which will be vital for the future. I think that students will continue to benefit from all the online resources that universities are offering them, but will also continue to have that human contact and connection. I think this hybrid approach IDP is taking is the future. 

What would your advice be for any institution considering  coming on board IDP Live?    

I would definitely recommend IDP Live to institutions, especially universities like us to come on board. It not only allows you to broaden your market access, enabling students to receive a fast turnaround in their enquiries, but it’s also helping universities to match the right candidates to the right courses and increase conversion rates, so I would definitely recommend to other universities to work with IDP.

How has IDP Live delivered for your institution  so far?   

We are very fortunate and have had a good experience with IDP Live’s project team, especially our main contact person, Emma Skelton. She has been our dedicated contact throughout the whole journey. She always offers the most suitable proposals and services to the university. She spent time to understand the university’s challenges and our strategy and made sure to provide the right market intel for us, to help us make the right the decision, so it’s been a very good experience. Well done to the IDP team!