Empowering Equity in Higher Education: The Imperative of Professionalisation and CPD in Widening Participation
Widening Participation (WP) in Higher Education (HE) is an enduring mission to dismantle barriers and extend opportunities to underserved groups. To effectively navigate the ever-evolving landscape of WP and drive meaningful change, the professionalisation and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of WP practitioners are paramount.
While advocates often, rightly, emphasise the importance of funding and evaluation, we must recognise that the effectiveness of any financial investment and the value of rigorous evaluation hinge on the expertise of the individuals delivering these programmes. Allocating resources to under-trained staff or expecting them to execute programmes without adequate CPD is akin to pouring water into a leaky bucket. Without a well-prepared workforce, any investment risks being wasted. Similarly, evaluating programmes in the absence of consistently skilled delivery can yield unreliable results, making it difficult to ascertain their true impact.
Outstanding professionals, well-equipped through skills and knowledge, possess the capacity to maximise the impact of limited funds and elevate the success of any initiative. Therefore, prioritising CPD not only complements funding and evaluation efforts but also strengthens the sector's ability to realise its mission of inclusive and equitable access. Naomi Clements, Sara Davies & Anna Mountford-Zimdars argue that such a praxis-based approach, where tacit and empirical knowledge are both valued, would ensure the sector is able to directly address limitations in current measures of success.
In this article, I delve into the need for a range of dedicated and context specific CPD programmes catering to both emerging and seasoned WP practitioners, drawing insights from existing work on policy enactment and shedding light on the pilot of the Widening Access and Widening Participation Professional Standards Framework and Accreditation Scheme from the Scottish Committee of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP).
CPD in WP
The field of ‘Outreach,’ ‘Widening Participation’ or ‘Access’ has become increasingly professionalised and aspires to ‘an evidence-based, research-informed movement.’ This direction of travel offers substantial benefits for universities, including improved job delivery and staff retention, aligning with standards set by the Office for Students and the objectives of a University’s Access and Participation Plan.
However, WP is a dynamic arena, influenced by individual institutional and government policies, shifting demographics, and societal complexities. Such a movement requires the University’s outreach practitioners to have an increasingly wide variety of skills. As noted by Gazeley et al., “Practitioners working to widen participation to universities in England are an increasingly important and professionally diverse group but surprisingly absent from the academic literature and lacking in access to bespoke CPD pathways in HE.”
Jon Rainford emphasises that WP practitioner roles are “often poorly defined, under-resourced and insufficiently supported.” He argues for the necessity of pedagogical training, emphasising that practitioners are not mere implementers, but influential policy actors shaping the enactment of WP policies, making their professionalisation all the more necessary.
Training exists: organisations like HELOA and NEON offer expert-led individual training events for a variety of areas of practice central to WP implementation; the University of Sussex offers a WP ‘strand’ for the part-time Education MA course; the University of Wolverhampton in partnership with Causeway Education has developed a Postgraduate Certificate in Access, Outreach and Social Mobility; and you can find valuable resources and toolkits for practitioners, for example, via Advance HE. However, currently, no comprehensive course or qualification exists in the sector that provides affordable, sustained, project-based, and flexible CPD for practitioners to improve their skills, progress in their careers, and, ultimately, deliver improved outcomes for prospective and current students.
In contrast, other sectors, such as schools, have established programmes like the National Professional Qualification (NPQ) courses, which offer structured and comprehensive CPD opportunities which allow practitioners to engage in valuable reflective practice. Incorporating this degree of professionalisation into the WP sector can pose challenges, primarily because, unlike teaching, pursuing a career in WP is a less prescriptive, more flexible trajectory, with varied entry routes.
Why is CPD Important?
I contend that CPD serves as a crucial counterbalance to the constraints imposed by the prevailing ‘what works’ paradigm in the context of widening participation. It is important to recognise that in teaching, the proficiency of teachers is influenced not solely by the instructional tools they employ but also by their foundational skills and capabilities. While there may be debates surrounding the effectiveness of specific pedagogical approaches, it is equally pertinent to engage in discussions about an individual teacher's aptitude in employing those approaches. This recognition, that the quality of practitioners extends beyond the mere implementation of instructional models, appears to be currently lacking within the realm of widening participation.
As such, CPD is crucial for several reasons:
Enhancing Skills: Dedicated programmes empower practitioners to refine their skills in designing, implementing, and assessing WP initiatives.
Increasing Knowledge: It is critical that practitioners develop a comprehensive understanding of the relationships between day-to-day intervention and addressing structural inequalities. This includes developing a deep understanding of underrepresented student populations' diverse needs and expectations.
Staying Informed: HE is in a constant state of flux, with policy changes, emerging research, and evolving demographics. Professionalisation equips WP practitioners with the knowledge and skills to navigate this evolving terrain effectively.
Facilitating Collaboration: Successful WP initiatives often require collaboration across institutions and sectors. Professionalisation programmes foster networking opportunities, encouraging practitioners to share insights, innovations, and best practices.
By pinpointing areas for growth, fostering exemplary practices, and nurturing an environment conducive to learning, CPD is vital to ensure we are looking forward and identifying opportunities to develop, refreshing our knowledge and skills, and keeping up to date with the latest developments in the sector.
The Progression Framework: Implementing CPD at the University of Cambridge
To address the lack of defined success criteria and offer ongoing CPD throughout a practitioner's time in the role, the University of Cambridge has developed a Progression Framework. This framework consists of:
Success Criteria tables, outlining expectations and competencies for practitioners at different career stages.
A Useful Links section providing resources and guidance for CPD.
Research papers explaining the rationale behind the Success Criteria.
The Success Criteria tables cover eighteen themes, categorised into: ‘Long-Term Strategic Planning,’ ‘Short to Mid-Term Delivery’ and ‘Soft Skills and Legal Requirements’:
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Group 1: Long-Term Strategic Planning |
Group 2: Short- to Mid-Term Delivery |
Group 3: Soft Skills and Legal Requirements |
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These themes encompass various responsibilities practitioners handle, often, without dedicated training. There is an overlap between the themes, indicating the interconnected nature of the work. Practitioners can use the Progression Framework to reflect on and discuss their CPD needs with their line managers. Furthermore, the Success Criteria tables for each theme are organised into four career stages, allowing practitioners to track their progress and identify areas for growth:
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Career Stage Description |
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Emerging |
Induction/probation period and initial training; little prior experience working in outreach/education |
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Developing |
Beginning to put training into practice and developing skills; some prior experience of working in outreach/ education |
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Experienced |
Increasingly independent and innovative; reflectively applying skills to practice; extensive experience working in outreach/ education |
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Exceeding |
Line management responsibilities; best practice within a supportive, well-resourced, and well-structured working environment; extensive prior experience working in outreach/ education/ management |
Towards a Careers Strategy for WP
The Progression Framework serves as the foundation for a potential careers strategy for WP. This strategy could include sustained and progressive CPD programmes tailored to different career stages with the possibility of relevant qualifications (or modules that include credits that work towards these). For instance, new WP staff could work towards understanding key issues in national WP debates, delivering effective sessions to support the success of programmes, and identifying ways to improve their provision, culminating in a portfolio submission to demonstrate their learning. This might include a session plan, resource, evaluation of a session, a reflection on development needs and an action plan.
At the leadership level, the programme could focus on strategic planning, addressing the needs of all students, impact evaluation and analysing WP leadership’s role within their institution. This would consider cohort characteristics, local needs and opportunities and whole institution priorities. This could include creating a strategic plan within their institution that meets the needs of all stakeholders. Practitioners would develop a robust approach to evaluation and use this to scrutinise and reflect on a chosen key element of their plan. This could be assessed through an assignment which includes an intervention proposal with a literature review, rationale, theory of change and evaluation of any demonstratable impact.
The University of Cambridge is launching a dedicated programme this academic year, with plans to scale it based on practitioner feedback. This programme aims to engage staff members across various roles at the university including but not limited to centrally delivered, student-led, Collegiate, and faculty/department-led WP. This programme will be delivered weekly by internal and external staff members with expertise and experience across a range of WP practice and covering the themes outlined in the Progression Framework. It will be continually adapted to respond to changing circumstances and requirements, whether they are legislative, technological, or institutional. We hope that they will help the practitioners to reflect on and improve their practice, aligning with the evolving needs of the sector.
It is crucial to underscore the value of having a range of professional development models that can cater to varying circumstances and requirements within the widening participation sector. Any portfolio model, for instance, can complement more structured training programmes. It can function as an add-on to enhance the process of accreditation, providing a valuable bridge between formal training and practical application. Considering the regulatory significance of WP in the sector, a dedicated professional body could be established as proposed by Naomi Clements, Sara Davies & Anna Mountford-Zimdars, enabling outreach practitioners and evaluation experts to collaboratively work towards attaining and upholding professional standards.
The Widening Access and Widening Participation Professional Standards Framework and Accreditation Scheme
A significant step in this direction is the pioneering pilot Widening Access and Widening Participation Professional Standards Framework and Accreditation Scheme. This Accreditation Scheme provides recognition for individuals working in WP and has been developed in support of Scotland’s Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP) objectives on Training, Development and Quality Standards. The Scheme promotes continuous professional learning and development of staff working across all areas of WP. Piloted in Scotland in 2021, the Scheme is designed to be incorporated into institutional professional learning and development processes, enabling participants, with agreement and support from a line manager, to gain professional accreditation in WP through the submission of an evidence-based portfolio. Phase Two of the pilot this year extends to English universities and will involve the University of Cambridge, The University of Nottingham, and Nottingham Trent University.
Key benefits of the Framework and Accreditation Scheme include:
Setting Standards: The framework establishes clear and standardised expectations for WP practitioners, ensuring a consistent and high-quality approach to WP initiatives, benefiting students across institutions.
Recognising Expertise: Practitioners who meet these standards receive formal recognition for their expertise. This recognition can enhance career progression and job satisfaction, attracting and retaining talented professionals in WP.
Fostering a Learning Culture: The scheme encourages practitioners to engage in continuous CPD, fostering a culture of lifelong learning and continuous improvement.
In schools, educators often plateau in their CPD within the first decade of their careers. Effective CPD and accreditation models can counter this stagnation. A similar provision in WP has the potential to keep dedicated staff in the sector long-term.
Professionalisation and the Future of WP
CPD for WP professionals leads to enhanced skills in planning, execution, and assessment, enabling them to create more impactful practices tailored to their specific circumstances. As such, the professionalisation and ongoing development of WP practitioners are essential for advancing equity and access in HE. Leveraging insights from existing research and the pilot Widening Access and Widening Participation Professional Standards Framework and Accreditation Scheme, WP practitioners can acquire the knowledge, skills, and recognition needed to propel the field forward. By investing in their professional growth, we pave the way for a more inclusive, accessible, and transformative HE landscape.
Jon Datta is Deputy Head of Widening Participation at the University of Cambridge.
