SLIDE 1
Part 1:
Widening Participation and Strategic Assessments
Professor John Storan Director, Action on Access Director, Continuum
SLIDE 2 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.
SLIDE 3 WP Strategic Assessments
– 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
SLIDE 4 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
SLIDE 5 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%
SLIDE 6 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
SLIDE 7 Headlines from the WPSA Monitoring Outcomes: 2009 – 2010 Returns
– 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
SLIDE 8 Headlines from the WPSA Monitoring Outcomes: 2009 – 2010 Returns
– 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
SLIDE 9 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
- f data on WP from the sector.
SLIDE 10 Social Mobility through HE Action on Access Topic Briefings
– 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
SLIDE 11
Part 2: An International Case Study
SLIDE 12
An International Case Study: Continuum International Summer Institute (ISI) for McNair Scholars
SLIDE 13 McNair Programme Directors
Michael Aldarondo-Jeffries University of Central Florida Dr Tomicka Green-Wagstaff Rochester Institute of Technology Dr Ngondi Kamatuka University of Kansas Dr Antonio Henley University of New Hampshire Mulu Negash Academic Services Co-ordinator University of Kansas Rossanna Contreras-Godfrey Boston College
SLIDE 14 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.”
“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.”
SLIDE 15 Continuum ISI McNair Scholars
Ryan Guidice UNH Arisbel Hernriquez UNH Michael Vidal UNH Katie Fitzgerald UNH Joshua Albair UNH Jessica Casebier University of Kansas Lucie Rincher UCF Esteban Santis UCF
SLIDE 16 Katie Fitzgerald, University of New Hampshire McNair Scholar, Continuum ISI 2010
Listening to learners Study abroad is life changing
“This experience has left such a positive imprint
- n both my academic and personal life.”
“More than you could know, this trip has been life changing for me.”
Joshua Albair, University of New Hampshire McNair Scholar, Continuum ISI 2010
SLIDE 17
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.
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“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 – programme mix
SLIDE 19 “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
Listening to learners Study abroad – final words
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Contact
Professor John Storan Tel: 0208 223 2162 E-mail: j.storan@uel.ac.uk www.uel.ac.uk/continuum www.actiononaccess.org
