Since 2006 significant progress has been made in improving the HE admissions process and enhancing the provision of information for applicants and universities to create a fairer, more transparent and efficient applications system. While improving the progress of school leavers into HE remains a high priority, with the number of 18 to 20-year-olds projected to fall sharply from 2009, HE must be opened up to those currently in the workforce, if HEIs are to retain their market share and the Government is to achieve its 2020 target of 40% of the population qualified to level four. This conference brought together an audience of senior managers from HE and FE to set out the changes that have been made to the applications and admissions processes, considered the effectiveness of the changes and showcased good practice examples from across the sector.