Widening Participation. 1.1. Widening Participation has been a leading mission for the University of Derby for 15 years. The University of Derby offers higher education to the broadest spectrum of its local and sub-regional populations, as well as to the wider national and international community. This is reflected in the University’s student profile, in its 2004 Mission Statement: “The University of Derby aims to be the leading provider of high quality, accessible and flexible further and higher education for regional, national and international communities,” and in the significant premium it has earned from HEFCE for Widening Participation. In 2003/04, 54% of its full-time intake were eligible for full fee remission, and 16% for part fee remission, leaving 30% paying full fees. UoD's amalgamation in 1998 with High Peak College Buxton created one of a small number of Universities which can genuinely claim to offer a seamless post- compulsory education from level 1 to level 8 in the National Qualifications Framework.
1.2. The University believes that WP is not merely an initiative aimed at targeting specific and changing groups of individuals, but rather an ongoing approach to the development and delivery of educational provision which can benefit all students from whatever background. Whereas there is much operational focus on supporting non-traditional learners, learners with disability, and other specified target groups, many of the initiatives we will take will benefit all students. Thus the University’s intent is not merely to widen participation, but is also to increase participation. For this reason the University’s Widening Participation Strategy was recently absorbed into mainstream activity.
1.3. The Access Agreement is built on the notion of the student lifecycle, and so seeks to: • Raise aspiration and attainment through outreach work • Ensure maximum opportunities for progression • Offer fair and facilitative access systems • Retain students well and equip them for employability
Widening Participation. The College has an impressive portfolio of widening participation activities, either on its own or in collaboration with other institutions. The full extent of this activity is provided at appendices B and C. The College intends to extend its outreach activities through the development of a network of local providers both in Further Education and at the secondary level. It will explore with these providers the opportunities which exist for collaboration through developing access or foundation courses where the curricula have been developed jointly with the College; through the sharing of resources and teaching; through the provision of advice and experience to local students who are contemplating entry into Higher Education and through support to teachers, careers advisers and other key staff in these local institutions. The current level of expenditure on widening participation activities in the College is currently in excess of £2m. This level of financial commitment will be maintained and, enhanced where necessary, in order to support the delivery of the local providers network. The College does not view outreach activity in isolation from its commitment to a comprehensive network of student support. In identifying students with the academic capabilities and the intellectual potential to take advantage of the teaching and learning opportunities provided through the College there is a recognition that such students should be properly supported in order that they can apply there capabilities and thus realise their potential. The appointment to a number of key posts within the College and augmentation of the governance structure signals its intent in this regard. The appointment of the Vice- Principal (Students) complements the other Vice-Principal posts and provides an input into the relevant strategic and governance thinking at the highest level. The appointment in 2004 to the newly created post of Deputy Director of Student Services will catalyse the delivery of a comprehensive and universal student support system. This post, in tandem with the introduction of a revitalised Student Affairs & Welfare Committee, has the specific remit to bring together the broad provision of student support operating within the College, to ensure that the proper linkages existed between them and to xxxxxx their development. Also, the appointment within the King’s Institute for Learning and Teaching (KILT) of a Lecturer who will support and facilitate academic staff unders...
Widening Participation the process of expanding access to medicine to suitable candidates who would not otherwise apply to become Learners due to socio- economic reasons;
Widening Participation. 4.1 The College is active in widening participation through its own initiatives and as part of a collaborative regional programme, which receives separate funding.
4.2 Targeted activities are agreed each year and the College has established relationships, through PASS (Progression Accord Student Scheme) with a mix of 50 schools and FE providers where the focus of these activities are directed. Annex B sets out the current list of PASS schools and FE providers and the number of student applications from members over the last four years.
4.3 £50,000 will be used from this funding, each year, to support a further two specialist Schools and Colleges Liaison Advisers and twenty additional Student Ambassadors employed to deliver our ambitious widening participation programme. Draft targets for 2006—2007 are shown in Annex C.
Widening Participation. The undergraduate curriculum has been planned to encourage students to study at the College and developed in conjunction with local key industry partners. Through information gained partly through the College’s ‘In business’ team, the college now is focusing and investing further on a local vocational training agenda at HE level that will support key current local industry and anticipate the developments of new industry. .It is hoped this will both encourage participation and demonstrate that the College is aware of the educational needs of the local community and committed to responding to these, through the HE offer including foundation degrees and Higher National Diplomas in several subject areas and a variety of study modes. This offer seeks to improve existing levels of recruitment from under represented groups: 37% of the College’s 2009 cohort came from NS-SEC categories 1-3, with 37% of this cohort also coming from Low Participation POLAR neighbourhoods 1 and
Widening Participation. The College is committed to the practice of widening participation to raise aspirations so that anybody who has the potential to benefit from engaging in Higher Education has the opportunity to do so. In addition, this access and participation plan prioritises widening participation, which is supported through a focus on access to Higher Education, student success, and progression onto a higher level course or into employment. The number of students progressing from level 3 programmes has increased in 2017-18. These students wish to stay local for their higher education. They are attracted, not only by the lower course fees, but by the specialist pastoral support services, welfare, counselling and 1:1 support that the College provides for students who experience emotional, mental health and financial barriers. Many of our part-time students have caring responsibilities and to stay close to home for their higher education is important to them. As outlined earlier, Riverside College’s recruitment/catchment area includes areas of high social and economic deprivation, where participation in Higher Education is historically below national averages. In 2017-18, we have seen a significant increase in the number of students enrolling onto a Higher Education programme from a disadvantaged background and we are delighted that our strategic approach to widening participation and accessible curriculum offer is making a positive difference. Category 2016-17 2017-18 Difference % of HE students from a disadvantaged postcode 5% 47% +42% % of HE students - part-time 91% 90% -1% % of HE students - full-time 9% 10% +1% % of HE students – aged 18 6% 8% +2% % of HE students – 19-23 years 29% 27% -2% % of HE students – 24 plus 65% 65% 0% % of HE students - male 41% 38% -3% % of HE students - female 59% 62% +3% Riverside College continues to set tuition fees for all of its Higher Education programmes at a level, in order to promote progression from Level 3 and to provide a local and value for money Higher Education provision to meet the needs of learners who prefer to work and study closer to home. In addition, the College has established systems in place to support students to develop personally, professionally and academically. These can be students from a more vocational educational background who may lack confidence to engage in traditional Higher Education or come from backgrounds where there is no history of engagement in Higher Education. Our student services, academic tu...
Widening Participation. 3.1 Historically the School has specifically addressed access, as opposed to retention, by committing itself to outreach into a wider community in order to raise awareness of the disciplines of theatre and to inculcate an appreciation that the theatre-related industries are both burgeoning and available as career pathways for all segments of society.
3.2 This principle informs the School’s widening participation strategy wherein external collaborations, local outreach activity (including with schools, colleges, youth theatres and in other settings), Open Days and course-specific Information Days, along with a variety of short courses, diplomas and summer schools, stimulate interest in the potential that theatre and theatre-related skills offer as a career pathway. Central perceives this initiative as one that will widen the applicant pool for higher education (inter)nationally and over time.
3.3 Whilst these do not necessarily lead to broader student enrolment at Central, such engagements avow the School’s openness to all social groups and its capability to interact with those traditionally excluded from theatre and performing arts as a discipline. The School perceives this activity as one of public good as well as an ongoing message to the sector that Central is socially inclusive in its operation. The School will be utilising 30% of its Access Agreement investment to ensure the continuance of its widening participation activities, as well as supporting the development of yet more new and innovative work focused on increasing access to theatre and performance as a subject area within higher education.
3.4 Both the School’s applicant profile and its student profile differ in some regards from sector-wide averages (as is the case for many individual institutions) but we are able to evidence a good level of inclusivity in the main diversity areas (disability, ethnicity and social background), although we constantly seek further improvements. The latest available student entry profiles (2009-10 data) show the following characteristics: 6.6% from low participation neighbourhoods (POLAR2) (national benchmark of 9.6%) 89.6% from state schools or colleges (national benchmark of 91%)
Widening Participation. The undergraduate curriculum has been planned to encourage students to study at the College and developed in conjunction with local industry partners. Through information gained partly through the College’s Work based learning team, the college now is focusing and investing further on a local vocational training agenda at HE level that will support key local businesses and anticipate the developments of industry. It is hoped this will both encourage participation and demonstrate that the College is aware of the educational needs of the local community and committed to responding to these, through an HE offer including foundation degrees and Higher National Diplomas in several subject areas and a variety of study modes. This offer seeks to improve existing levels of recruitment from underrepresented groups: 38% of the College’s 2011-12 cohort came from NS-SEC categories 4-7, with 32% of this cohort also coming from Low Participation POLAR neighbourhoods 1 and 2. 62% of this cohort received the maximum available University bursary, because their household income was below £25,000. Despite the local issues of low participation and deprivation in Hastings and Xxxxxx, these rates are lower than at some other FECs in Sussex, and the College has set targets to address this. In particular, the College will seek to:
Widening Participation. We will continue to work with schools and colleges in low participation neighbourhoods to raise awareness, aspiration and attainment, including work with younger school students, their families and their teachers. We are actively exploring options for continuing collaboration with partners in Aspire (Aimhigher South East London) in particular to support our delivery of IAG (Independent Advice and Guidance). We are also considering some engagement with the emerging pan-London organisations AccessHE and Linking London.
