23 October 2007
Four cities research highlights benefits of links between universities, schools and communities
Universities and colleges need to continue to develop a strong understanding of the wider communities in which they operate in order to develop more focused and relevant interventions which will reach young people from lower social class backgrounds, according to a report published today.
The report, Young participation in Higher Education in the Parliamentary constituencies of Birmingham Hodge Hill, Bristol South, Nottingham North and Sheffield Brightside, commissioned by HEFCE in 2005 consolidates the findings of four in-depth case studies which aimed to explore the factors that might lie behind the very low rates of young participation in higher education in those parliamentary constituencies.
The summary report highlights the need for universities and colleges to consider how their strategies to widen participation can be embedded directly within the educational provision for the constituencies in which they operate. While acknowledging that higher education institutions (HEIs) cannot tackle all the issues facing these communities in isolation, the report recommends that institutions do need to have a strong, sustainable presence in low participation neighbourhoods and consider 'ways in which they can make significant and measurable contributions to the social, educational and economic transformation of these areas'.
The report shows the importance of enhancing young people's enjoyment of school, especially in the early years of secondary education when disengagement occurs or accelerates. It also reaffirms the need for new forms of partnership working between schools, local authorities, higher education, business and young people, their families and the wider community - in order to support widening participation opportunities.
The research process has enabled HEIs involved in the studies to develop much deeper understandings of their communities, and to inform a more sophisticated understanding and framing of their widening participation strategies.
Professor David Eastwood, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said:
'I welcome the findings of the Four Cities research, as a powerful reminder of the complexities and diversities of processes that affect the behavior of students from lower social class backgrounds. We plan to carry out further studies in other areas of England, including other cities as well as rural and coastal areas.'
'These reports will help universities and colleges develop and refine measures to widen participation by bringing together the interests and resources of a range of partners in their wider communities. They support the approach we have taken through Aimhigher in encouraging the higher education sector to work more closely with schools, colleges and other agencies by engaging with pupils at an early age.'
Bill Rammell, Minister for Higher Education, said:
'The Government is committed to widening participation in higher education and ensuring that all those with the ability and qualifications have the opportunity to benefit from higher education. As we made clear through the recent publication of a prospectus to encourage universities to engage directly with schools and academies, those institutions that are most successful in unlocking the best talent will reap the most benefits. We have a world class higher education system and we must all work together to ensure that in an increasingly globalised world we continue to remain on top'.
Notes to editors
1. The report is published on the HEFCE web-site.
2. The four parliamentary constituencies in this work were identified as low participation areas in the HEFCE report Young participation in higher education (2005/03), subsequent work by the Council has used statistical models to investigate the young participation rates of small areas against other factors. These models indicate that although the four constituencies are unusual in that they have extremely low young participation rates, these low participation rates are predicted by the factors considered in the model. This suggests that the four constituencies are not special cases and therefore that findings resulting from the four cities research may well be applicable to similar areas throughout the country.