A new website launched today by the Office for Students is
designed to help learners, teachers and advisers find activities,
advice and information on the benefits and realities of going to
university or college through the Uni Connect programme.
Uni Connect is a
programme funded by the Office for Students (OfS)
that brings together 29 partnerships of universities,
colleges and schools to improve awareness and access for young
people to higher education. The OfS is also publishing three
new independent reports evaluating the progress of Uni Connect at
a national level.
The new website comes alongside new regulatory guidance
– Regulatory advice
6 – that sets out further information about the ways in
which a university or college can create a clear and effective
access and participation plan meet the requirements and
expectations set out in earlier regulatory advice. This new
guidance follows the
consultation that took place earlier this year.
The OfS recently published the Equality of Opportunity
Risk Register that identified 12 sector-wide risks that
may affect a student’s opportunity to access and succeed in
higher education. The identified risks can be effectively
addressed through collaboration. The OfS funds Uni Connect to
support providers to work collaboratively.
In September 2023 Uni Connect partnerships will begin to directly
address one of the biggest risks to equality of opportunity:
pre-16 academic attainment. Uni Connect has already proved to
have a positive impact on establishing connections between higher
education and schools and local organisations to support learners
in their regions.
In a new blog, Director
for Fair Access and Participation, John Blake, wrote:
‘Those of you who have heard me speak, or who have read my
previous blogs, will not be surprised to hear me say that
building a robust evidence base around ‘what works’ in higher
education outreach and attainment raising, underpinned by a
strong culture of evaluation, is vital if we are to make progress
in improving equality of opportunity for all. These expectations
are embedded in our access and participation plans.
‘We also practise what we preach: evaluation has been integral to
Uni Connect since its inception. The reports we are publishing
today assess three key aspects of the programme: collaboration,
impact and delivery … these evaluations demonstrate the impact
and potential of collaborative partnerships in expanding equality
of opportunity in higher education.’
Notes
Three independent research reports have been published by the OfS
today:
‘The benefits of and
barriers to collaborative access activity by higher education
providers’ (CFE Research):
- highlights the benefits of sharing of ideas and evidence of
good practice
- emphasises the importance of long-term investment and
appropriate resourcing to build strong collaborative networks.
‘Fifth independent review
of impact evaluation evidence submitted by Uni Connect
partnerships’ (CFE Research):
- identifies potential gaps in partnership activity
- suggests that the support provided for learners through Uni
Connect can increase their likelihood of applying to university
or college
- highlights the programme’s positive impact on skills and
attributes such as self-confidence, resilience, problem solving
and communication.
‘Formative evaluation of
Uni Connect phase three: Findings’ (Ipsos):
- explores how Uni Connect priorities are being delivered
through targeted and strategic outreach
- suggests that schools were positive about and responsive to
the new priority of attainment raising.
