Widening participation and outreach activities. In supporting the transition to a system of tuition fees and bursaries, the University will draw on its positive experiences of widening participation in a regional context. The University will seek to maintain its extensive commitment to widening participation in the North East region by continuing to encourage the engagement of students from socially disadvantaged and low participation areas in further and higher education by maintaining current levels of activity. A table summarising existing widening participation activities is attached at Appendix 1. In addition to the existing activities listed in Appendix 1 the University will: • Introduce a range of additional student activities to add to the current range of pre-entry activity (‘Passport’ transition events) • Incorporate information, advice and guidance relating to fees, bursaries and scholarships into all existing pre-entry Passport and transition events. • Offer to at least 50% of major feeder institutions the opportunity to select from a range of student funding interventions to be delivered off-site. An important element of the existing widening participation strategy is through the engagement of adults, and particularly those adults seeking to enter, re-enter or progress within the labour market and whom are disadvantaged in doing so by previous low levels of formal educational attainment. This is particularly important in the North East region due to the region’s long history of chronic under-achievement and low staying-on rates. Existing activities in this area include, inter alia: • the funding of outreach workers; • flexible degree entry routes which acknowledge XXXX and provide individualised guidance and routes. In addition to these and to support widening access for mature students the University will: • increase the funded programme of on- campus activities to which potential adult learners are recruited (culminating in a programme of short courses under the ‘Summer College’ and ‘Summer University’ banners); • develop an ‘Adult Passport’ scheme for Access students; The University recognises the value of students from underrepresented groups in encouraging the aspirations and developing the intentions of others from their communities. This is recognised by the use of these students as role models and mentors in the University’s extensive outreach work. The University also recognises that these students often face a greater task in managing a successful transition into Higher Education....
Widening participation and outreach activities. Throughout the first five years of the Access Agreement the University has successfully maintained its position by continuing to encourage the engagement of students from socially disadvantaged and low participation areas in further and higher education. Appendix 1 outlines the activities and initiatives the University is delivering as part of its ongoing commitment to widening participation. This comprehensive range of activities includes the outreach work described in the previous Access Agreements in addition to the extensive on-campus programme of pre-entry events which include information, advice and guidance on tuition fees, bursaries and scholarships. The pre-entry activities of the University also reflect the increased range of widening participation activity relating to progression through the workplace, and progress has been made to embed this particular aspect of the university’s work. The Summer University Programme, which continues to engage adult learners in higher education, neatly dovetails into the Adult Passport Scheme to support adult learners transition to higher education. The Retention Support Officers have developed best practice to ensure a successful transition for groups of students currently underrepresented in higher education. This work ensures that the University remains aware of, and responsive to, the particular needs of students from non-traditional backgrounds. The University has a mature strategic Higher Education Business Partnership and sees this partnership as central to widening participation in the region. The development of HE learning centres within partner colleges provides an accessible ‘first step’ into Higher Education. We have evidence that this strategy is widening participation, both in encouraging less confident students to benefit from the more secure and accessible environment of their local FE college as well as our growing ability to reach into sectors such as the workforce where progression opportunities have been made available through the development of foundation degrees.
