Widening Participation Conference 2024
Thursday 5th December 2024
8:45 am - 4:00 pm
The Widening Participation Conference 2024 will focus on how providers can deliver impact following the submission of Access and Participation Plans and explore how to support continuous improvement in reducing risks to equality of opportunity.
The Conference will:
Explore outcomes and learning points following the completion of new Access and Participation Plans
Assess solutions in consistently meeting the expectations of the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register
Showcase new insights in designing and implementing evidence-led interventions
Share best practice from providers demonstrating real outcomes on outreach and partnership
Examine how to enhance evaluation approaches to maximise the impact of interventions
Why attend the conference?
Evaluate your route to delivering on your Access and Participation Plan
Stress test your evaluation toolkit to optimise interventions
Gain examples and ideas from providers demonstrating real progress
Headline Speakers
Professor Graeme Atherton
Director
NEON
Dr Anna Anthony
Director
Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) Service
Professor Jackie Labbe
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost
University of Gloucestershire
Dr Liz Thomas
Professor of Higher Education
University of York
Agenda
09:30 am
Chair’s Welcome Address
Holly Rowe
Deputy Head of Widening Participation
University of Cambridge (CONFIRMED)
09:40 am
Leaders’ Panel Discussion: Where Next for Access and Participation Amid Sector Turbulence?
Building real progress on outcomes following the completion of revised Access and Participation Plans
The next steps on delivering evidence-led interventions with robust evaluation capabilities
What does a challenging context on resourcing and funding restraint mean for investment and execution?
How can the sector improve collaboration to understand what works and drive enhanced outreach with schools?
Professor Graeme Atherton
Director
NEON (CONFIRMED)
Professor Jackie Labbe
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost
University of Gloucestershire (CONFIRMED)
Parveen Yaqoob OBE
Deputy Vice Chancellor
University of Reading (invited)
Professor Eunice Simmons
Vice-Chancellor and Principal
University of Chester (invited)
10:40 am
Submissions Complete: Delivering on the Ambitions of Revised Access and Participation Plans
The assessment and review process for providers that submitted in July and October 2024
The core trends and outcomes identified by the OfS following the completion of all A&P submissions
What follows Access and Participation Plan submissions? The next steps in delivering on intended outcomes
What we have seen already from Wave 1 providers on delivering under the new Plans and meeting expectations of the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register
John Blake
Director for Fair Access and Participation
Office for Students (invited)
11:10 am
Break and Networking
11:30 am
A New TASO Approach: Impact and Process Evaluation (IPE)
Harnessing new TASO tools to better evaluate the implementation and process of interventions
Moving beyond a sole focus on impact evaluation to assessing how a programme is executed and links to intended outcomes
Taking a deep-dive on a theory or change by taking a practical analysis on all components including inputs, activities and change mechanisms
Understanding how we determine if the assumptions and mechanisms behind an intervention deliver as planned
Dr Omar Khan
CEO
TASO (invited)
12:00 pm
What Next for Uni Connect? Enhancing Collaborative Outreach
Following an independent review, led by Public First, assessing the impact of Uni Connect programmes, this session will take a deep dive into future opportunities for driving an enhanced approach to collaborative outreach. The session will consider how to:
Develop a coherent mission and structure for supporting long-term impact
Reduce duplication and inefficiency across the partnerships
Support consistency in evaluation practices
Lead an enhanced profile and integration with the schools sector
Design an approach to evaluating collaborative outreach and supporting improved accountability
Dr Sally Burtonshaw
Director
Public First (CONFIRMED)
Lucy Harding
Uni Connect Hub Manager
Higher Horizons+ (invited)
Karen Roberts
London Uni Connect Programme Manager
London South Bank University (invited)
12:30 pm
Lunch and Networking
1:20 pm
Case Study Series: Delivering on New Access and Participation Plans
With the revised Access and Participation Plans now complete, this session will offer a collection of case studies from wave 1 providers exploring how institutions have implemented their plans, seek to deliver on ambitions set and are working to demonstrate progress in meeting the expectations of the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register.
Case Study A: Implementing Evidence-Led Intervention Strategies
Sophie Elliot
Director of Student Services
University College of Estate Management (invited)
Case Study B: Monitoring Targets and Managing Progress Against Milestones
Anne Marie-Henderson
Director of Student Success and Engagement
University of Reading (invited)
Case Study C: Delivering a Whole-Provider Approach – Insights from Wave 1
Dr Liz Thomas
Professor of Higher Education
University of York (CONFIRMED)
2:20 pm
Break and Networking
2:40 pm
Building Robust Evaluation Capabilities in A&P Reporting and Delivery
Breaking the silos: designing a coordinated approach to data collection, recording and governance across an institution
Developing a holistic picture of evidence through longitudinal tracking
Reporting on outcomes in four years from now: linking a theory of change to data on delivery
Meeting OfS expectations on Standards of Evidence within the evaluation process
Dr Anna Anthony
Director
Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) Service (CONFIRMED)
3:10 pm
In Conversation: Meeting Ambitious Intended Outcomes on School Outreach
With revised Access and Participation Plans placing a major emphasis on improving outcomes through school partnership, this discussion session will dissect how wave 1 submitting providers are stepping up outreach interventions and linking these activities to demonstrable outcomes.
Diane Stone
Schools and Colleges Outreach Manager
University of the West of England (invited)
Esther Reeves
Outreach Programmes Manager
University of Bath (invited)
3:40 pm
Publishing Evaluation Outcomes: How Should We Approach This?
Understanding the requirements of new Access and Participation Plan guidance to publish evaluation outcomes and share what works
How do we go beyond a tick box and use this as an opportunity to build a meaningful evidence base across the sector?
Developing awareness of findings and considering the audience and purpose for publications
Outlining new guidance from Russell Group Widening Participation Evaluation Forum on key considerations for publishing evaluations
How can we support publishing routes that maximise the impact of evaluation outcomes and allow knowledge sharing to thrive in the sector?
Shireen Quraishi
Senior Evaluation Officer, Access and Widening Participation
UCL (invited)
4:00 pm
Conference Close
*Programme subject to change
Audience
This event is designed for those engaged in widening participation, access and outreach. Those in attendance will include:
Directors of Student Recruitment and Admissions
Directors of Widening Participation
Heads of Access
Heads of Outreach
Heads of Student Success
Heads of Widening Participation
Access and Outreach Managers
Access and Outreach Officers
Access Projects Managers
Evaluation and Reporting Managers
Widening Participation Managers
Widening Participation Officers
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