Part 1: Widening Participation and Strategic Assessments Professor - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Part 1: Widening Participation and Strategic Assessments Professor John Storan Director, Action on Access Director, Continuum

Background and Introduction Widening Participation Strategic Assessments • January 2009: HEFCE asked HEIs and FECs with more than 100 FTE to submit WPSAs. • Submission of WPSA a condition for WP allocation. • WPSAs set out an institution’s overall WP strategy. • WPSAs include all expenditure across the student lifecycle whatever the source. • Access Agreements only include expenditure on bursaries, scholarships and additional outreach activities that started after the introduction of variable fees in 2006.

WP Strategic Assessments • WPSAs set out: – The position of WP in institutions’ missions – The organisational and managerial responsibilites for WP – Institutions’ overall aims and objectives along with more detailed targets and milestones for the next three years – The full range of an institution’s WP activity and the level of resource committed to WP. Source: OFFA Access agreement and widening participation strategic assessment monitoring, 2011

Headlines from the WPSA Monitoring Outcomes: 2009 – 2010 Returns • Institutions are making a significant investment in WP over and above HEFCE funding. • Areas for expenditure included: – Student support – WP staffing – Support for retention and student success – Expenditure to promote lifelong learning

Headlines from the WPSA Monitoring Outcomes: 2009 – 2010 Returns • Institutions were asked to report on their three to five most successful/ significant WP activities across the student lifecycle. Category of activity % of institutions reporting this type of activity as successful/significant Involvement with Aimhigher programme 29% Summer schools 27% Academic outreach interventions pre-entry 27% (e.g. masterclasses, taster days) Pre-entry information, advice and guidance (IAG) 27% Links with secondary schools 26% Activities to improve retention and student success 26% Campus visits/open days 25% Course/curriculum development 24% Progression agreements/internal progression within institutions 24% Activities to improve employability 21%

Headlines from the WPSA Monitoring Outcomes: 2009 – 2010 Returns • Challenges ahead and effects on WP commitments in WPSA: – Uncertain HE climate (Jan 2011) – Two thirds of institutions reported the need to change their WPSA particularly in light of the new funding regime and Aimhigher closure • Institutions highlighted a range of WP activities that they felt need protecting from funding cuts: – Protect links with schools – Outreach work – IAG

Headlines from the WPSA Monitoring Outcomes: 2009 – 2010 Returns • Evaluation of WPSA: – Inconsistent returns – Area where further guidance would be useful – Returns indicated that more institutions were planning future evaluation – The following measures were mentioned • Participant questionnaires • Tracking WP students from outreach to HE enrolment • Monitoring effects of initiatives on school attainment

Headlines from the WPSA Monitoring Outcomes: 2009 – 2010 Returns • Summary: – Additional WP expenditure over HEFCE allocation. – Activity spread across the student lifecycle. – Variable progress on the development of evaluation. Source: Access Agreement & WPSA Monitoring Outcomes for 2009- 2010: OFFA & HEFCE

Social Mobility through HE Action on Access Topic Briefings • Topic briefings on the thematic review of WPSAs 2009 – 2011. • WPSAs provided an extensive rich source of data on WP from the sector.

Social Mobility through HE Action on Access Topic Briefings • Topic briefings include: – Mainstreaming WP and Equality – Assessing the Impact of WP – Linking Equality and Diversity with WP – Engaging Adults – The Role of Targeting – The Role of Admissions – Promoting the Success of All Students • Download briefings and full WPSA analysis from www.actiononaccess.org

Part 2: An International Case Study

An International Case Study: Continuum International Summer Institute (ISI) for McNair Scholars

McNair Programme Directors Michael Aldarondo-Jeffries Dr Antonio Henley Dr Ngondi Kamatuka University of Central Florida University of New Hampshire University of Kansas Mulu Negash Dr Tomicka Green-Wagstaff Rossanna Contreras-Godfrey Academic Services Co-ordinator Rochester Institute of Technology Boston College University of Kansas

McNair Programme Directors’ Perspective • Development opportunity for faculty “The chance to network with colleagues…who are committed to and passionate about the work of widening participation was truly remarkable.” • Impact on learners “TRIO students benefit first and foremost from the opportunity to be abroad… They learn a great deal about educational inequality and its complexities, and as a result grow to better appreciate the support structure that TRIO (and McNair especially) provides.” • Impact at institutional level and beyond “McNair now surfaces in conversations among senior level Administrators…In truth, UNH McNair is heralded as a pioneer in this collaboration and has benefited tremendously from the national attention.”

Continuum ISI McNair Scholars Joshua Albair Jessica Casebier Katie Fitzgerald Ryan Guidice UNH University of Kansas UNH UNH Arisbel Hernriquez Lucie Rincher Esteban Santis Michael Vidal UNH UCF UCF UNH

Listening to learners Study abroad is life changing “This experience has left such a positive imprint on both my academic and personal life.” Katie Fitzgerald, University of New Hampshire McNair Scholar, Continuum ISI 2010 “More than you could know, this trip has been life changing for me.” Joshua Albair, University of New Hampshire McNair Scholar, Continuum ISI 2010

Listening to learners Study abroad - preparing for foreign lands “Participating in this program allowed me to step outside my normal environment and to see things in a different perspective while gaining knowledge on a topic I knew little about.” Jessica Casebier, McNair Scholar, University of Kansas, Continuum ISI 2011.

Listening to learners Study abroad – programme mix “The balance of the program was perfect. The sessions in the morning were effective and the time in the afternoon allowed me to get some work done.” Esteban Santis, McNair Scholar, University of Central Florida, Continuum ISI 2011

Listening to learners Study abroad – final words “Words cannot capture what this experience has meant … I feel like limitations that had been placed on me by society or myself have been removed. What I thought couldn’t be done now seems possible. Where I thought I would never get a chance to go now seems attainable…I have attended and presented at an international conference…My professional and personal growth has been so abundant even in such a short period of time.” Lucie Rincher, McNair Scholar, University of Central Florida, Continuum ISI 2011

Contact Professor John Storan Tel: 0208 223 2162 E-mail: j.storan@uel.ac.uk www.uel.ac.uk/continuum www.actiononaccess.org