Widening Participation

At the heart of our approach will be a major drive to increase the diversity of our student and staff population and to remove the barriers to a ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ education

Our goals:

Core to University Mission and Beacon of Excellence

Targeted and Lifecycle Approach (Outreach, Access, Retention, Success, Progression)

Governance Structures and Coordination

Core to University Mission and Beacon of Excellence

We will 窶ｦ

Ensure that widening participation and social mobility are core to the University窶冱 mission and aspire to be a beacon of excellence in the sector

We will achieve this by 窶ｦ

Putting the Widening Participation Strategy in place
Ensuring that widening participation is central to core University and departmental priorities and connects with other related strategies
Establishing ambitious targets for widening participation categories, including State Schools, Low Socio-Economic Class, Low Participation Neighbourhoods, Mature, Low performing schools, Local entrants, and BAME entrants
Championing our widening participation approach internally and externally

Young students wearing graduation robes and mortar boards sitting in a lecture hall with their hands up.

Case study: ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ Bright Stars Programme

The ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ Bright Stars programme is the University of ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ primary schools outreach programme which is in its fourth year. The programme supports over five hundred year 5 and 6 (age 9-11) pupils in the Coventry and ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵshire areas each year. The activities are delivered by a group of trained student ambassadors who are studying at ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ and have an interest in Education or in developing teaching skills.

Targeted and Lifecycle Approach (Outreach, Access, Retention, Success, Progression)

We will 窶ｦ

Adopt a targeted and evidence-based 窶詫ifecycle窶� approach to widening participation for the benefit of all our students

We will achieve this by 窶ｦ

Ensuring that our progress against Widening Participation targets are evidence-based
Ensuring that provision is underpinned by robust evaluation and research-led practice at the forefront of national policy
Equipping departments with specific data that promotes evidence based approaches
Widening demand and increasing support to facilitate a talent pipeline for widening participation target groups
Accelerating access to ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ for students from a range of widening participation backgrounds
Improving student retention (non-continuation rates) and success (good honours) for widening participation targeted groups
Enhancing progression in further study and employment (DLHE / Graduate Outcomes) for widening participation groups
Enhancing opportunities for target groups in the region to access and progress to higher education

Priorities 2018/19: Embedding a lifecycle approach to Widening Participation

We will seek to make ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ sector-leading in our approach to Widening Participation (WP), supporting students across their HE journey; from initial outreach for aspiration-raising and attainment, to ensuring access for ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ programmes, success in closing attainment gaps in graduate outcomes, and progression to further study and employment.

Work in 2018/19 will include: consultation and launch of our new WP Strategy; developing research and evaluation capability for WP programmes; agreeing ambitious WP targets; enhancing coordination with faculties on WP activities; initiating a life-cycle and cross-institutional ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ Access and Mobility Programme; and opening an IntoUniversity centre in Coventry.

Governance Structures and Coordination

We will 窶ｦ

Adopt a holistic and embedded institutional approach to widening participation across all levels of the University

We will achieve this by 窶ｦ

Developing the Widening Participation Committee and establishing complementary governance structures and coordination mechanisms to facilitate the delivery of the Widening Participation Strategy
Establishing a Widening Participation Evaluation and Research Working Group
Establishing Steering Group and Faculty Operational Groups
Resourcing of Faculty and Departmental widening participation structures

A pen rests on top of an open book which is in front of an open laptop.

Case study: Widening Research and Participation (wrap) Project

The Widening Research and Participation (wrap) project is a 2-year research project at the University of ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ, investigating the availability and accessibility of undergraduate research opportunities in which ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ students can participate. The research team comprises two postgraduate and two undergraduate students supervised and supported by the Research Development Manager and URSS co-ordinator. The project is funded by ﾌﾒﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ窶冱 Widening Participation Development Fund.