Objectives for Widening Participation. The University has re-emphasised its commitment to WP as a key strategy in its Strategic Plan 2006-10, some key objectives include: • To provide a high quality, supportive and friendly learning environment that is inclusive, accessible and learner focussed. • To deliver programmes with structures, curricula, and learning strategies matched to learning capabilities and entry qualifications. • To improve access and completion rates of students from neighbourhoods with low participation in HE. Key performance targets include: • Exceed HEFCE benchmarks for o retention o progression o proportion of socially and economically disadvantaged students Our Vision Statement also emphasises opportunities for all and a commitment to continuous improvement: The University of Huddersfield focuses on providing opportunities for all, especially groups not currently well represented in universities, and supporting students to ensure the maintenance of high standards in their qualifications. • We will support learners to enhance their knowledge, skills and understanding through initial study, professional practice and lifelong learning. • We will be innovative in the delivery of our programmes, combining face-to-face tuition with high quality IT-based support, offering flexibility of location, timing, speed and content, providing helpful support through services on campus, and looking for efficiency and effectiveness in administration. In determining the key themes for its WP Strategy, the University has taken into account these commitments, has considered its strengths and weaknesses in various aspects of widening participation, has reflected on its position re the performance indicators, has consulted widely among staff, and with partners and external agencies, and has reached the following conclusions: • The first key theme is access. Our aims are to maintain the numbers of students from socio-economic groups under-represented in HE in an increasingly competitive market, and to improve the quality of our activities in relation to access. • Understanding what is happening to students as they pass through our programmes is of crucial importance to decision-making in relation to WP. Although we have installed a new student record system for management information purposes it needs a usable front-end which can provide statistical indicators, based on student tracking. Thus, student tracking and monitoring is the second key theme. • The University’s highest priority is to impro...
