Student Recruitment and Widening Participation The University of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Student Recruitment and Widening Participation The University of Manchester

Bernard Strutt & Stephanie Lee Bernard.strutt@manchester.ac.uk / 0161 275 8569 Stephanie.Lee@manchester.ac.uk / 0161 275 7544

Widening Participation at The University of Manchester Stephanie Lee Head of Widening Participation and Outreach Stephanie.Lee@manchester.ac.uk 0161 275 7544

• 1. National context and drivers
• 2. Evolution of widening participation at UoM
• 3. Case studies
• 4. Challenges and Opportunities
• 5. Future priorities
• 6. Questions

Overview

What is widening participation?

“it is a broad expression that covers many aspects of participation in higher education (HE), including fair access and social

• mobility. It relates to the whole 'life-

cycle' of a student, from pre-entry, through

admission, study support and successful completion at undergraduate level, to progress

• n to further study or employment.”

HEFCE

National Context

• More students from disadvantaged backgrounds progressing

into HE than ever before – but less progress when look at selective institutions;

• Shift in funding for widening participation activity – from

government to universities;

• Access Agreement – reinvestment of tuition fee income across

the student lifecycle;

• Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF);
• Changing demographics – decline in the number of 18 year
• lds and;
• Changing recruitment and selection behaviours of universities

– e.g. unconditional offers

Higher Education Growth in UK

Applicants by domicile group 2006-2016

Source: UCAS End of Cycle Report 2016

Difference in application rates between WP and non WP students

Entry rates for English 18 year olds by multiple equality measure groups to higher tariff providers Entry rates for English 18 year olds by multiple equality measure groups (group 5 = most likely to enter to HE)

Source: UCAS End of Cycle Report 2016

Under-representation in UK HE

OFFA (Office for Fair Access) target groups:

• low income backgrounds – below £25k p.a.
• lower socio-economic groups
• low participation neighbourhoods
• white males from economically disadvantaged backgrounds
• Black and minority ethnic groups
• disabled people
• mature and part-time learners
• care leavers
• carers
• people estranged from their families
• people from gypsy and Traveller communities.
• refugees
• people with mental health problems, Specific Learning Difficulties, and/or

who are on the autism spectrum.

Why the University does WP

• Embedded within Core Goals and KPIs
• Championed by senior leaders
• ‘No boundaries, no barriers’ - an institution accessible to all

regardless of background

• Diversity of student population
• Diversity of academia
• Societal benefits
• Statutory requirements – all institutions charging higher fees

(£6k - £9k) are required to have an Access Agreement with the Office for Fair Access (OFFA)

Sutton Trust, Leading People 2016

Access Agreement investment

2017/18 Access Agreement planned expenditure 2017/18 Access Agreement expenditure as % of higher fee income (UG Home) i.e. income above £6k

Development of WP at UoM

• Increased resource – staff and non-staff

– From a team of 3 in 2003 to c.20 in 2017

• Increase in geographical reach – local to national
• Reactive to proactive
• From one-off activities to programmes
• Embedded in processes e.g. within admissions, in Academic

Departments, Cultural Institutions and Students’ Union

• Improved data collection and recording – more evidence to

determine impact

• Evolution of language – widening participation /widening

access

Student Recruitment & WP across the institution

Faculties and Schools Students Union and current students Directorate for the Student Experience (DSE)

Student Recruitment and Widening Participation

Cultural Institutions and University Library External

• rganisations

– other HEIs, 3rd sector, businesses

WP trends - new Undergraduate entrants

Widening Participation Data

Phase 1 Outreach: Pre-16 Phase 2 Outreach: post-16 Phase 3 Fair Admissions Phase 4 Outstanding learning and student experience Responsible Successful Graduates

Greater Manchester Higher Access Manchester Contextual Data Student financial support Student Experience Internships

Progression Framework

Case Studies

• Manchester Gateways Programme
• School Governor Initiative
• Manchester Access Programme

The Manchester Gateways Programme

• Pre-16 programme for Greater Manchester
• Progression Framework
• School and learner targeting
• Use of PhD students in delivery
• Involvement of University’s cultural institutions in the delivery

– Manchester Museum

• 31% of pupils from areas of low participation – this is

compared with 7.5% of UoM’s entrants in 2015.

• 81% of participants say they are more likely to consider going

to university.

School Governor Initiative

• Increase the number of staff volunteering as School

Governors (parent, LA, Community etc)

• Support current Governors through:

– Staff Network – HR Policy – Annual Conference

• Network membership 520 (170 staff, 350 alumni)
• http://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/umsgi
• Benefits

– Contributing to improvement of schools and colleges; – Engagement with schools and colleges – governors equipped with key messages; – Development and awareness of staff.

• To support the progression of young people from

disadvantaged backgrounds into UoM or other research- intensive institutions.

• Between 2005 and 2016, over 1600 students have

entered UoM through MAP.

• Students that complete MAP are made an offer which

is equivalent of 2 grades lower e.g. AAA becomes ABB

• MAP students 3 times more likely to be from a low

socio-economic group and 2.5 times more likely to be from a low-income household.

• Retention of MAP students better than the

University average.

• Developing a distance access scheme

to reach students nationally.

Manchester Access Programme

• General election!
• HE and Research Bill

– introduction of the TEF and differentiated fees (from 2020) – formation of the Office for Students (merging HEFCE and OFFA)

• School sponsorship?

On the horizon and future priorities

• Internal Review of Access

Agreement expenditure and activities

• Universities’ role in

raising school attainment

• Strengthening use of

contextual data?

• Addressing gaps in

attainment of UG students

• Widening access to PG

study

Student Voice Institution buy-in Evidence- led Use of best practice

Collaborate Stakeholder engagement

Monitoring & Evaluation

Ingredients for success

Questions?

Questions?

Useful links

• UoM Access Agreement with the Office for Fair Access

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=29548

• UoM Annual Report on WP

http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=4294

• UoM Schools and Colleges Pages

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/schoolsandcolleges/

• UoM Use of Contextual Data

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/howtoapply/afteryouapply/assessm ent/contextual-data/

• HEFCE Outreach Resource Pool

http://outreachpool.hefce.ac.uk/s/search.html?collection=outreach

• HEFCE Student Access and Success

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/sas/

• Office For Fair Access

http://www.offa.org.uk/