Request 01/29

Respond by 27 July 2001 (2001-02 action plans for all HEIs, and full widening participation strategies and three-year action plans where possible)
Respond by 31 October 2001 (for strategies and three-year action plans not so far submitted)

Widening participation in higher education

Funding decisions for 2001-02 to 2003-04

To:	Heads of HEFCE-funded higher education institutions Heads of universities in Northern Ireland
Of interest to those responsible for:	Strategic and corporate planning; widening participation
Reference:	01/29
Publication date:	May 2001
Enquiries to:	Dr Sheila Watt Head of Learning and Teaching Policy tel 0117 931 7013 e-mail s.watt@hefce.ac.uk Christine Fraser tel 0117 931 7467 e-mail c.fraser@hefce.ac.uk HEFCE regional consultants (listed at Annex A) for enquiries on widening participation strategies

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Executive summary

Purpose

1. This document provides feedback on the HEFCE consultation on new proposals for funding widening participation in higher education, and outlines the decisions that have been made following the consultation.

Key points

2. A summary of responses to the consultation is attached at Annex B.

3. We will distribute funding in support of widening participation for the period 2000-01 to 2003-04. This funding is intended to:

encourage institutions to widen participation in higher education by under-represented groups
raise the aspirations of all to attend the institution that is best able to match their abilities, interests and needs
ensure that all students have the best possible chance of succeeding in their studies.

4. We will increase the funding provided to institutions in proportion to their success in recruiting students from neighbourhoods with low rates of participation in higher education. We will increase the amount allocated in this way (the postcode premium) to £28 million in 2001-02, then to £31 million in 2002-03 and 2003-04.

5. A new funding stream will be introduced, at £6 million a year for three years, to help raise aspirations. It will be allocated to higher education institutions with fewer than 80 per cent of their students from state schools, and will enable them to do more to encourage applications from such students.

6. We will spend £4 million in 2000-01 and 2001-02 to support HE summer schools. Beyond 2001-02, this programme depends on further funds being provided by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), although it is expected to continue.

7. Widening participation strategies will also be supported by the introduction of Opportunity Bursaries, and the provision of funds to promote and administer Hardship, Fee Waiver and Opportunity Bursary funds. Further details have been published separately in HEFCE 01/15 'Student support funding for higher education institutions 2001-02'.

8. We are asking institutions to submit updated three year strategies for widening participation. These strategies should be accompanied by action plans, detailing activities and targets associated with the spend of the postcode premium (and, where applicable, the aspiration funding). We will not prescribe the content or format of strategies, but will provide a programme of good practice guidance and support.

Action required

9. In July 2000 institutions provided targets for widening participation based on their initial statements. Our consultation report HEFCE 00/50 (November 2000) foreshadowed that we expected to ask for revised three-year strategies by the end of July 2001, so that they could be co-ordinated with the annual operating statements. Those institutions which are in a position to do so are accordingly now invited to provide by 27 July 2001 fully revised and developed widening participation strategies and action plans covering the period 2001-02 to 2003-04.

10. We recognise, however, that there may be institutions which will need more time to prepare full strategies. In particular, they may wish to reflect on our forthcoming seminars and good practice guidance, or they may need to take their strategies through committee cycles lasting into the autumn. In such cases, full strategies should be delivered by 31 October 2001. But in all cases, institutions should provide revised targets and associated action plans for 2001-02 by the 27 July deadline, extending the initial targets, and based on the further work they have done in developing full widening participation strategies. Given the extensive discussion and development work so far, and the widely recognised importance of the issue, we hope that most institutions will be able to provide us with strategies, either in draft or final form, by 27 July 2001.