Edge Hill University<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Supporting the access, success and progression of students from \u2018underrepresented\u2019 student groups in higher education is a key priority for universities and forms part of the regulatory conditions overseen by the Office for Students (OfS). Access and Participation Plans (APPs) require providers to commit to delivering interventions that support \u2018widening participation\u2019 (WP) student groups deemed to be \u2018at risk of equality of opportunity\u2019 across the student lifecycle.
APPs are ever evolving, and in 2019 came a shift towards evaluation and research, signalled by the establishment of the dedicated What Works? centre for WP evaluation and research, TASO (Transforming Access and Student Outcomes). Since then, there has been a growing requirement for universities to demonstrate that their WP interventions are built upon evidence informed practice, to evaluate their interventions effectively, and more recently, a move to publishing their evaluation findings. This shift has resulted in roles and teams across the higher education sector being established to lead on this work, but engagement from academic colleagues is welcomed and much needed in this space too.
This presentation will introduce the opportunities the APP agenda provides researchers interested in supporting WP students into and through higher education. We will outline the potential for impact this area presents, and the ways in which Edge Hill University will support academics and our partners to engage in research with our Widening Access and Student Success team to improve outcomes for our students, and contribute to sector wide knowledge of \u2018what works\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n