The PortisHEad Project implemented the integration of an ePortfolio system in the UCAS-based Higher Education admissions process, as an example of the ‘thin ePortfolio model’ recommended by the ePortfolio for Lifelong Learning (eP4LL) Reference Model Project. The next logical step in this development was to implement a practical application of the model using an existing ePortfolio system, with a view to learning lessons from a state-of-the-art implementation. The PortisHEad Project developed additional functionality in the PebblePad system to permit learners to choose courses to apply to, to create new applications against course advertising material, to edit the applications and to submit them to UCAS.

ADoM has stored the PortisHEad narrative, scenarios and processes as a further method of disseminating the project's outputs. For more detailed information about the methods, outputs and outcomes of the PortisHEad Project, refer to http://www.portisheadproject.org/.

The project produced two demonstrators: PortisHEad ePortfolio-based Personal Statement Interface (PePPSI) and PortisHEad Interoperable Form Fill (PIFF). PePPSI demonstrates how an applicant can use an ePortfolio system to create and send to UCAS a significant proportion of a UCAS application, including a short textual Personal Statement mapped against the requirements for a course advertised through an Entry Profile, and a web-based Personal Statement that the selector could use to gain a more holistic view of the applicant. PIFF is a generic form-fill toolkit that can be deployed alongside any web form to allow the learner to populate it with personal data from an HR-XML enabled repository.

The project demonstrated a step forward, providing practical evidence and experience of working with ePortfolio tools in HE admissions and illustrating the types of problems that need to be overcome for full scale implementation. It was also able to show the usefulness of the emerging XCRI-CAP standard for the transformation and mapping of UCAS Entry Profile and other courses data. Although interoperability with the UCAS admissions system was not achieved, the project showed how this could be done once technical interfacing and organisational difficulties had been overcome. The PIFF toolkit is a tangible benefit in terms of a software deliverable with a potentially wide usage.