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

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 – automated matchmaking – is explored in the current study. The method functions by matching a prospective student’s skills profile to a programme’s 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 – 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 student’s aspirations, skill sets and course requirements. It is a solution to minimize the number of students who get frustrated because of mismatched course selection.