Government backs developers with £300,000 funding
The government has unveiled two apps it claims will “revolutionise” the way students are given advice on careers and further education.
The apps, the development of each of was supported by £150,000 in funding from the Department for Education’s Open Data Competition, are available from this week. Both are now in open beta phase and can be downloaded from the developers’ websites.
The ThinkUni application, created by AccessEd, aims to help potential university applicants collate information on institutions, courses, and costs.
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TheWayUp!, meanwhile, is published by The Profs. The app offers a “game for students to simulate different graduate career paths to help them make better choices about their future”. It will be particularly useful, the government said, in helping “students from disadvantaged backgrounds set aspirational educational and career goals”.
Universities minister Chris Skidmore said: “The importance of choosing where and what you study at university cannot be overstated – it will impact the rest of your professional and personal life. We have made more information available about institutions and outcomes than ever before, but sometimes the sheer amount of data can be daunting for students to navigate. We want to make it easier and fairer for them to access the information they need to make good higher education and career choices.
He added: “That’s why we’ve turned to the power of technology and funded two new apps, empowering students and ensuring they are well equipped to make these life-changing decisions which will help them succeed.”
