Evaluation of the HEFCE Widening Participation Support Strategy
Summary
In January 2001 the HEFCE commissioned an evaluation of its widening participation support strategy, to be undertaken jointly by the Higher Education Consultancy Group (in conjunction with the School of Educational Studies at the University of Surrey and Skill), and the National Centre for Social Research. This is the report of that evaluation.
The evaluation was asked to examine the impact of 10 funding strands supported by HEFCE. These included the requirement that institutions produce initial widening participation strategic statements, two sets of funding supplements, allocation of additional student numbers, three strands of projects, the administration of access and hardship funds, and the national support and co-ordination arrangements for disability and widening participation.
The evaluation undertook: a postal survey of heads of institutions; interviews with key informants; a telephone survey; in-depth case studies; a survey of disability projects; a review of project monitoring reports and consultation responses; a review of the analysis of institutional widening participation strategic statements undertaken by the national Action on Access team; and an examination of published data on recruitment.
The evaluation does not produce output data on student recruitment nor examine other interventions by HEFCE, such as summer schools and aspiration funding. Nor does the report include specific recommendations, as it is likely that the rapidly moving widening participation policy environment will have changed considerably between drafting this report and its publication. Nonetheless there are numerous policy issues that the Council and other interested parties will wish to reflect upon. HEFCE has been able to view early drafts of the report and take action on those issues raised where it feels it is appropriate to do so. The cover note to the report is HEFCE's response to its findings.
HEFCE response to the report
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Download the report
Main text
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Appendices
Appendix A Summary of Funding Strands
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Appendix B Mapping of HEFCE Assumptions on WP
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Appendix C Analysis of the Policy Survey Sent to HEIs
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Appendix D Survey of Academic Staff
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Appendix E Institutional Case Studies
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Appendix F Analysis of the Survey of Disability Projects
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Appendix G Widening Participation Projects Funded by Region
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Appendix H List of Funded Disability Projects 2000-2002
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Appendix I Institutional Diversity and Widening Participation
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Appendix J Abbreviations
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Last updated 4 September 2003