Thursday 15th March
2012, One Wimpole Street - London, 08:45 - 16:30
Widening Access and Improving Participation in Higher Education
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Overview
In the Higher Education White Paper, Students at the Heart of the System, published June 2011, the government outlined its continued commitment to improving social mobility and widening participation through fairer access to higher education.
To promote fairer access the government will provide more generous support for low income full-time students, while a new National Scholarship Programme will also begin in 2012. By 2014, the National Scholarship Programme will provide £150 million to help improve access to higher education amongst the least well-off young people and adults. The government has also made it clear that universities wanting to charge over £6,000 for their courses from 2012 will have to place extra priority on recruiting students from disadvantaged backgrounds through Access Agreements.
Furthermore, according to the latest annual monitoring report from the Office for Fair Access, published 29 September 2011, universities and colleges spent £38 million (2.4% of their higher fee income) on additional outreach and widening participation activities, up from £37 million in 2008-09. This demonstrates universities’ continued commitment to widening access and improving participation from all backgrounds.
The Higher Education White Paper also announced that UCAS will be reviewing the applications process to be fairer, including the scope for introducing Post-Qualification Application (PQA). On 31 October 2011, UCAS published the Admissions Process Review Consultation. A report of the Consultation findings and proposed next steps will be published in March 2011.
Agenda
At a time of significant reform, this exclusive forum will provide key stakeholders in the higher education sector with the opportunity to hear the government’s latest plans and measures to improve access and widen participation in higher education. Delegates will also have the unique opportunity to network with colleagues and peers and share best practice on overcoming the challenges of widening participation.
| 09:00 |
Registration and Coffee |
| 09:45 |
Chair’s Welcome Address Professor John Storan, Co-Director, Action on Access (CONFIRMED) |
| 09:50 |
Morning Keynote: Widening Participation in Higher Education
- The future of higher education: Taking forward the government’s commitments in Students at the Heart of the System
- Implementing the National Scholarship Programme
- Providing £150 million to help improve access to higher education amongst the least well-off young people and adults
- Looking at alternative sources of funding to support lower income full-time students
- Encouraging greater participation in higher education
- Building capacity for adult learners
- Expanding foundation degrees and other vocational courses
- Diversifying higher education provision: Improving access
Adrian Bailey MP, Chair, Business Innovation and Skills Select Committee (CONFIRMED)
|
| 10:10 |
Morning Keynote: Funding Widening Participation Sarah Howls, Head of Widening Participation, HEFCE (CONFIRMED) |
| 10:30 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 10:50 |
Special Keynote: Promoting Fair Access: Access Agreements
- Access agreements and widening participation strategic assessments
- Funding outreach activities to raise aspirations and attainment
- Improving retention and student success
- £50 million in outreach activities to raise aspirations and attainment among potential applicants from under-represented groups
- What further steps might be needed to ensure the delivery of commitments made in Access Agreements?
- Support under the National Scholarship Programme
Andy Westwood, Chief Executive Officer, GuildHE (CONFIRMED)
|
| 11:10 |
BrowseAloud: Widening Access to Education
- BrowseAloud: Reading support for online content
- How BrowseAloud helps underrepresented groups
- How it helps you gain and retain customers (students) at home and abroad
- How it supports e-learning, and flexible learning
- How it helps you gain a return on investment
Raj Kher, BrowseAloud UK Business Manager, Texthelp Systems (CONFIRMED)
|
| 11:30 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 11:50 |
Coffee and Networking |
| 12:10 |
Special Keynote: Widening Higher Education Participation in Adults
- Recent successes of Access to HE courses: 40% increase in adult Access to HE diploma students accepted onto UK higher education programmes in 2011
- The role of the QAA: recognising Access to HE courses and making them eligible for funding
- Access to HE courses: Providing a clear avenue to higher education for adults returning to education
- Attracting non-traditional students from a variety of backgrounds
- Making Access to HE provision cost-effective
- Adequately preparing students for success in higher education
- The benefits of partnership with FE colleges
- Providing access to a broad range of higher education courses
Kath Dentith, Head of Access to Higher Education, Quality Assurance Agency(CONFIRMED)
|
| 12:30 |
The Role of Further Education in Widening Access to Higher Education Study
- Opening up higher education provision to further education
- The role of HE in FE colleges
- Raising awareness of HE study in further education
- Fostering access through e-learning and new technologies
- Further education working in partnership with higher education
- Working with private providers to validate degrees
- Experience, achievements and success
John Widdowson CBE, Principal and Chief Executive, New College Durham & Chair, HEFCE’s Widening Access and Participation Strategic Advisory Committee (CONFIRMED)
|
| 12:50 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 13:10 |
Lunch and Networking |
| 14:10 |
Afternoon Keynote: Ensuring the Success of Students in Higher Education and Beyond
- The economic imperative to improve student retention and success
- Student engagement to improve student retention and success
- Link between pre-entry interventions and improved retention and success
- Engagement in the academic sphere
- Postgraduate and labour market success
- Managing the student experience
Professor Liz Thomas, Academic Lead for Retention and Success, Higher Education Academy; and Director, Widening Participation Research Centre, Edge Hill University (CONFIRMED) |
| 14:30 |
Improving Retention and Success of Students: Developing A Holistic Approach
- Engaging students to improve student retention and success in higher education
- The ethical, economical, legal and reputational need for improving student retention and success
- Developing a strategic and inclusive induction process
- Retention, achievement and progression of widening participation and equality groups
- Developing an extensive support for widening access groups in Wales and other vulnerable groups through a number of aspirational and skills-building programmes and preparation for university
- Using data and other evidence to identify at risk groups
- A partnership: Developing students’ and staff capacity to engage
Professor Martin Jones, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Aberystwyth University (CONFIRMED)
|
| 14:50 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 15:10 |
Coffee and Networking |
| 15:30 |
Flexible Learning: A Path to Widening Participation
- Developing an inclusive curriculum for all
- Providing a cost-effective route for all prospective students
- Providing a fully flexible, high quality education that fits around students other work and life commitments
- Working in partnership with the private sector to deliver e-learning and adult learning pathways
- The role of technology in widening access and improving the student experience at home and internationally
- Best practice for delivering courses online
Dr Liz Marr, Director, Centre for Inclusion and Curriculum, Open University (CONFIRMED)
|
| 15:50 |
Closing Keynote: The Future of University Admissions: Working Towards A Fairer Process
- Reviewing the admissions process
- The model for reform
- How can UCAS better support admissions to part-time undergraduate study and postgraduate taught courses?
- The scope for introducing Post-Qualification Application (PQA)
- Strategies for promoting wider participation through the admissions process
- Ensuring candidates receive comprehensive careers and funding information, prior to applying to university
- Creating a fairer application process for international students
Helen Thorne, Director of Policy and Research, UCAS (CONFIRMED)
|
| 16:10 |
Questions and Answers Session |
| 16:30 |
Chair's Summary and Close |
*programme subject to change without notice
Exhibitor:
Audience
Delegates attending this forum include vice chancellors, pro vice chancellors, heads of faculty, principals, heads of student experience, admissions directors, heads of student union, equality managers, heads of community engagement, directors of lifelong learning, policy managers, heads of outreach programmes and directors of external relations, and will be drawn from higher education, further education colleges, careers organisation, community groups, skills agencies, central government, local authorities and the private sector.
