Automated Matchmaking to Improve Accuracy of Applicant Selection for University Education System

Abstract: The accurate applicant selection for university education is imperative to ensure fairness and optimal use of institutional resources. Although various approaches are operational in tertiary educational institutions for selecting applicants, a novel method of automated matchmaking is explored in the current study. The method functions by matching a prospective students skills profile to a programmes requisites profile. Empirical comparisons of the results, calculated by automated matchmaking and two other selection methods, show matchmaking to be a viable alternative for accurate selection of applicants. Matchmaking offers a unique advantage that it neither requires data from other applicants nor compares applicants with each other. Instead, it emphasises norms that define admissibility to a programme. We have proposed the use of technology to minimize the gap between students aspirations, skill sets and course requirements. It is a solution to minimize the number of students who get frustrated because of mismatched course selection.