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MAKING KNOWLEDGE WORK
AchievingStudentDiversity
Report on widening participationat the University of Bradford 2002 – 2003
ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
1. INTRODUCTION
Widening participation in higher education can be defined as
“activities to target the individual groups that higher
education institutions have identified as under-represented
and to ensure their success” (source: HEFCE Guide June
01/36: Strategies for Widening Participation in Higher
Education, a Guide to Good Practice). It is about making sure
that the opportunities that a higher education experience
brings are accessible to all who have the potential to benefit
from them, not just a selected few.
It aims to ensure their success in the chosen programme of study.
There is a plethora of widening participation initiatives and
activities occurring both on and off the University campus. This
document seeks to give a flavour of the progress made during
2002-03 towards an institutional co-ordinated approach to
widening participation at Bradford.
2. THE NATIONAL PICTURE
department for education and skills (dfes)The Government commitment is for more young people from
low socio-economic groups to enter higher education, with a
target of moving towards 50% of 18-30 year-olds entering
higher education by the year 2010.
January 2003 saw the publication of the white paper ‘TheFuture of Higher Education’ which sets out the Government
plans for the sector and gives ‘non-traditional’ students a high
profile. The white paper highlights the need to raise
aspirations. It also states the need to see improved admissions
procedures in universities in order to give access to more non-
traditional students. And, crucially, it is committed to
improving the support for such students in order that they
successfully complete their course of study and develop skills
to improve their future employability.
This was followed in July 2003 with a further white paper,
‘21st-Century Skills: Realising our Potential’. The aim of this
national Skills Strategy is to ensure that ‘employers have the
right skills to support the success of their businesses, and
individuals have the skills they need to be both employable and
personally fulfilled.’ The Government has set a target to reduce
by at least 40% the number of adults in the workforce without
a Level 2 or equivalent qualification by 2010. As a stepping-
stone toward this, there is a target to help 1 million adults in
the workforce to achieve Level 2 between 2003 and 2006.
the higher education funding council (HEFCE) The HEFCE is charged with aiming to deliver the Government’s
plans for higher education. The HEFCE has sought over the
last four years to encourage the sector to widen and increase
participation in higher education.
The HEFCE’s strategic plan requires universities to identify
under-representation according to their subject mix, locality,
current position and retention rates. HEFCE requires
universities to set widening participation strategies which are
then annually monitored as a condition of grant through the
Annual Monitoring Statement.
The year 2002-03 saw the end of the three-year HEFCE-
funded Widening Participation Special Projects and a
transition into Partnerships for Progression, funded by HEFCE
and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Both initiatives have
been about working collaboratively with a range of partners
across the region and sub-region to deliver joint projects
aimed at the capacity building of individuals and groups in
order to ultimately widen participation into higher education.
Further information on national issues can be found on the
Action on Access website at www.actiononaccess.org.*
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the university of bradford is aiming to widenparticipation in higher education by targeting:� low socio-economic groups
� families with no tradition of participation
in higher education
� groups who are currently under-represented
in higher education
* ACTION ON ACCESS
Although not a specific
activity of Bradford, the
University is pleased to
play host to Action on
Access, the national
co-ordination team
appointed by the HEFCE
and the LSC to support
their Widening
Participation (WP)
strategies for England. The
team supports and advises
the Councils in research,
curriculum, and policy
issues, and their role has
now been extended to
support the expanded
plans and partnerships in
the new integrated
Aimhigher programme
(the merging of
Partnerships for
Progression and the
Aimhigher Excellence
Challenge Programme).
Action on Access works
closely with other national
and co-ordinating teams,
for instance, the National
Disability Team and the
Learning and Teaching
Support Network.
ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
3. THE LOCAL PICTURE
widening participation strategyThe Widening Participation Strategy for the University of
Bradford is a cross-institutional plan of how the University as a
whole is proposing to contribute to meeting the national
targets and its own Corporate Plan.
Bradford was the lead university in developing the Student Life
Cycle approach to planning widening participation activities.
This approach considers the life of the student/potential
student at various stages of their higher education experience.
The approach has now been formally adopted by the HEFCE,
and institutions are encouraged to base their widening
participation strategies on this model. Our Widening
Participation Strategy sets targets in each of these areas, the
stages of which are identified below.
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� Raising aspirations (from primary school age upwards,
including adults)
� Better preparation/pre-entry support (transition
from school to higher education
� First steps in higher education (including induction
programmes and assessment of key skills
� Moving through the system (supporting students)
� Student success/employability (achievement and
preparation for work)
STUDENT LIFECYCLE MODEL
RaisingAspirations
BetterPreparation
First stepsin HE
MovingThrough
StudentSuccess
ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
other plans and strategiesIn preparing this strategy and the year-on targets, other local
strategies and plans have direct influence upon the planning
in this area. For example:
The full widening participation strategy for the
University of Bradford can be found on the web at
www.bradford.ac.uk/admin/planning/
performanceThe University of Bradford is well renowned for its approach to
inclusivity and its celebration of diversity. Not only does the
University perform better than the national position, but it is
continually improving its performance. Data over the period
2000 to 2003 shows that participation from minority ethnic
groups has risen substantially at Bradford, whereas nationally
there has been limited growth (Table 1). Bradford set a target of
30% minority ethnic group participation by 2004 and already
at the end of 2002-03 has surpassed this target, with 44% of
students being of minority ethnic group heritage, reflecting a
significant change in the University’s student population.
Bradford has also been steadily recruiting a greater number of
students from low socio-economic groups over the period 1999-
2002, and consistently performs at almost 10% above the
national average. (Table 2). The target of increasing student
numbers in this group by 1% in 2002-03 has been achieved.
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� University Learning and Teaching Strategy
� University Human Resource Strategy
� West Yorkshire Partnership for Progression Plan (2003)
� Bradford Area Inspection Action Plan (age16-19)
� Bradford Excellence Challenge Plan
ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
The University has also made a strategic commitment to
increase the number of mature students on courses, setting
itself a target of 31% mature student participation by 2003-
04. In 2002-03 this figure has already reached 34%.
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ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
It is interesting to note that over the past three years there has
been a substantial increase in the number of students living
locally to the University of Bradford, with 58% of students in
2002-03 residing in West Yorkshire (Table 4).
4. THE BRADFORD ACADEMY
The Bradford Academy was established in 2002. It is the co-
ordinating arm of widening participation and recruitment activity
for all young people across the institution and is becoming firmly
embedded within the University. All Schools of the University are
represented in the Academy and report on their widening
participation and recruitment activity and progress. The Academy
brings all this work cohesively together and is developing as an
arena for sharing information and expertise.
As the Bradford Academy develops it will monitor and
evaluate the success of its activities, ensuring that an inclusive
and comprehensive programme is developed which seeks to
encourage progression into higher education.
the bradford university compact scheme The Compact Scheme is one component of The Bradford
Academy. A Compact Officer was appointed in March to develop
the scheme, with a launch date planned for September 03.
The Compact Scheme will provide sixth-form students, either at
school or college, with a programme of activities held at the
University. This will include support for their current programmes
of study, the opportunity to sample future degree options and
help with their university applications. The scheme will also help
those sixth-form students who would like to progress onto The
University of Bradford by giving them the opportunity to complete
additional work, via an assessed summer school, to obtain thirty
points towards their Bradford UCAS tariff points offer. The final
assessment will coincide with the release of A-Level results.
By the end of July 03, 50% of Bradford secondary schools had
already demonstrated commitment to the scheme. Students
will be provided with a booklet outlining a ‘menu’ of activities
from which they can select according to their individual needs
and interests.
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ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
All University Schools are contributing to a very exciting
programme which includes master classes, taster days, revision
classes, skills practice. All Compact students will receive their
own student card allowing them ‘read-only’ access to the
library, and opportunities to use the computer centre and
sports centre.
junior universityThe Junior University was first developed as a homework club
at the University in 1996 and aimed to tackle the spiral of
educational disadvantage experienced by minority ethnic
communities living in Bradford. As the project has grown, it is
now open to all communities aged 13-19.
The Junior University has continued to flourish in this academic
year with an increased programme of activity both on and off
campus. It is highly regarded in its ability to attract young
people to the University from low participating groups,
predominantly minority ethnic students, and boys. This last year
two hundred young people enrolled for GCSE and A/S level
revision classes, surpassing the target of one hundred and fifty.
Eighty individual students enrolled throughout the year on
Saturday mornings taking advantage of extra tuition in ICT,
maths and science. Plans for development in 2003-04 include
adding a humanities strand to the provision and, after an
initial pilot this year, offering workshops on compiling a
curriculum vitae.
summer schoolsHigher Education Summer School (HESS)This year, this non-residential summer school, attracted one
hundred and fifty Year 11 youngsters from twenty-eight different
schools. The schools were mainly in Leeds and Bradford, but
some were outside the area, one even travelling daily from
Sheffield. Bradford runs one of the largest summer schools in
the country and consistently recruits to target each year.
The trademark of this summer school is the impartial
programme which introduces participants to all Schools of the
University. The programme is a careful balance between
academic input, ideas for careers, and enjoyment.
School of Engineering, Design and TechnologyIn July 2003 The School of Engineering, Design and
Technology organised three residential summer schools.
The first one was the WISE course (Women into Science &
Engineering). This attracted students from schools
predominantly in the North, North East and North West of
England. The course is aimed at encouraging more young
women to consider science and engineering as a serious career
option. Participants gained hands-on experience in several
areas of engineering and science, took part in an industrial
visit and met professional women engineers and
engineering/science students.
The other two summer schools were funded and organised in
conjunction with the LSC AimHigher programme, and the
FE2HE summer schools. A total of sixty Year 12 students took
part in both courses. This year following the summer school,
six FE2HE participants have applied to study on degree
programmes at Bradford this year.
intergenerational learningDads and Lads and ‘Maa Beti’ (Mothers and Daughters)These were the first intergenerational aspiration-raising and
learning events held at the University. Both half-day events
were aimed at attracting adults and young people from schools
in the Bradford district to learn and discover HE together.
Participants took part in campus tours and practical ‘hands-on’
workshops. There was also opportunity for the parents to ask
questions about finance. There are plans to develop further
this area of work, which focuses on families learning together.
Higher Education Aspiration Raising West Yorkshire(HEAR WY)The University of Bradford has been active during the year in
contributing to the collaborative aspiration-raising activity
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ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
branded as HEAR WY. The partnership comprises six West
Yorkshire higher education institutions, which aims to give
added value to individual institutional activity. During the year
a comprehensive directory of schemes and activities aimed at
young people has been compiled with contributions from all
institutions. The principles of sharing best practice, knowledge,
expertise and sharing resources, whilst working towards
common objectives, underpin the partnership and Bradford
fully supports the scheme and will continue with its
contribution.
In its first year, this pro-active group has set up a number of
projects. One example was in April 2003 when over one
hundred Year 7 pupils from nine schools across West Yorkshire
got a taste of university life in an event entitled ‘Passport to
University’ which took place at Trinity and All Saints, Leeds.
The children had to complete a range of activities, which
resulted in them obtaining their ‘passport’, complete with
stamps and a ‘graduation’ photo.
HEAR WY has also taken an active role in the Bradford Going-
On Primary Project which aims to encourage Year 6 children to
think about going in to higher education. The group
developed an ACE (Aiming for a College Education) Day which
each of the West Yorkshire HEIs took it in turn to deliver at the
Bradford Trident primary schools in June 2003. The
institutions were aided by fifteen student mentors from the
University of Bradford who proved to be excellent role models.
MentoringThe University has recognised the nationally held view of the
power of the mentoring relationship. Over the years many
different mentoring schemes have been developed across the
University aiming to encourage participation or raise
attainment, some short term and others over a much longer
period. Mentors work with children of primary school age to
the most mature adult learners both on campus and in
community settings.
A new post has been created to co-ordinate and embrace
these cross-campus schemes and ensure that all mentors are
fully equipped for the role they aim to fulfil.
All mentors will undergo a rigorous training scheme, and will
have the opportunity to receive higher education credits for this.
Excellence FellowshipThe University has been allocated £60,000 to take part in this
DfES-funded two-year pilot scheme. The aim of the Fellowship
is to provide opportunity for teachers in schools and further
education colleges, in Excellence in Cities or Education Action
Zones to spend time working and studying in a higher
education institution. It is expected that teachers/lecturers
will be able to examine ways to raise the aspirations of school
pupils and further education students, and increase their
understanding of the benefits of higher education. The scheme
also aims to forge closer working links across the sectors.
The University has four fellows who are undertaking action
research projects from school and one further education
college. Their projects include:
� a study of transition needs of students from further
education into higher education
� the impact of Aimhigher: Excellence Challenge activities in
the choices made by school pupils
� development of a sixth-form science curriculum
� investigation of the progression routes for GNVQ and AVCE
students into higher education
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ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
5. FOUNDATION YEAR IN CLINICAL SCIENCES/
MEDICINE – BSc (HONS) CLINICAL SCIENCES
2002-03 saw the first intake of students onto the above
programmes of study that have been designed to encourage
students from a wide range of backgrounds to enter medical
and healthcare education. Clinical Sciences at Bradford is the
result of a joint initiative with the Medical School at the
University of Leeds and one of the aims of the course is to
produce graduates who are better prepared to understand,
reflect and meet the needs of our socially and culturally
diverse local community.
In 2002-03 over 50% of students on both the Foundation
Year and Year 1 came from the West Yorkshire region. The
students come from a wide range of social and ethnic
backgrounds. Our mature students have a diverse range of
experiences ranging from careers in nursing and paramedic
work, to sales management and accounting, to community
work. Over 95% of our students come from state schools and
colleges.
Achievement through 2002-03 included the production of an
outreach strategy and implementation plan, and Compact
arrangements developed with nine schools. New targets are to
develop Compacts with twenty schools.
6. UNIVERSITY IN THE COMMUNITY
community-based learningThe branding of ‘University in the Community’ is now becoming
well known both internally and externally. University in the
Community is an initiative for adults aiming to raise awareness
of, and aspirations to, a higher level of study. The University
seeks to work in partnership with community and voluntary
groups and other providers of education and training to offer a
negotiated curriculum with pathways to higher education.
The number of partnership working arrangements agreed with
local centres has increased over the year. Learners have been
targeted in areas of low socio-economic standing in the wider
district of Bradford.
More than three hundred adults took part in negotiated
community-based learning in 2002-03, comfortably exceeding
the target of one hundred and ninety participants for the year.
This programme comprised both taster programmes and
accredited programmes mainly delivered in community centres.
University in the Community is always seeking to reduce, and
hopefully remove, the barriers to participation in learning for
adults. Examples of specific projects demonstrating this are:
� ‘Working in the Inner City’This project targeted fifty minority ethnic students of South
Asian heritage enabling them to be successful in the Level 1
Certificate in Inner City Studies. European Social Fund
support gave the students a large amount of support both in
terms of removing financial barriers to learning and additional
study skills.
� ‘Parents into University’This course brought minority ethnic parents into the
University to improve their own skills in English and ICT in
order to give them more confidence in supporting their own
children’s education.
� ‘Reaching Higher’This is a current project which aims to raise the educational
aspirations of those who are homeless or who have
experienced homelessness. The project has been received
enthusiastically by the hostels and organisations catering for
the needs of this target group. This is ‘grass roots’ aspiration
raising with those suffering multiple disadvantage, including
those recovering from drug and alcohol dependency.
community daysThe concept of ‘Community Days’, as an activity of the
‘University in the Community’, has also been developed during
2003. Based on the model of an ACE Day, a programme can
be negotiated with a community group which will bring them
on campus for the day. Groups may experience a mini lecture
of their choice, learn more about student life, ask questions,
9
ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
have lunch and find out more about what is on offer for
adults. Six ‘Community Days’ were held during this first year
with fifty-seven participants.
Participation in a Community Day has proved to be an
invaluable step in encouraging the learner to progress and to
see that higher education accommodates all types of people,
all learning at a variety of paces.
guidance serviceThe Guidance Service has renewed its accredited status with
the Guidance Accreditation Board (GAB) and is working
towards the new Matrix quality assurance standards. As an
accredited provider the University service is a full member of
the Bradford and District Information, Advice and Guidance
Service for adults (IAG), which is marketed throughout the
district. The University also contributes to the higher education
collaborative project, ‘Into Universities’.
In partnership with Careers Bradford, (on behalf of all the
partners in the Bradford Strategic Co-ordinating Group) in
support of the Bradford Higher Education Progression Strategy,
a new certificate has been developed entitled ‘Certificate of
Continuing Studies in Guidance and Learner Support’. It is
aimed at all those who work in schools and colleges, or
provide work-based learning, who may be called upon to offer
informal guidance and support to their learners and yet have
no formal guidance qualifications.
The collaborative guidance project ‘Into Universities’ is aware
of a gap in the knowledge of higher education opportunities
of some community-based workers who offer information and
advice. By offering training to such workers by a higher
education provider, facts and information about higher
education can be cascaded down to the centres/schools.
7. STUDENT SUCCESS
student success projectsA major area of development has been the launch of ‘Student
Success Projects’, an initiative aimed at enabling individual
University Schools to devise projects which would address
sustainable ways of enhancing student success in an
individual’s course of study as part of a retention strategy.
Innovative approaches include:
� Social Sciences and Humanities has employed two doctoral
students to provide ongoing academic and study skills to
20 first-year students, including regular group workshops
and individual support.
� Peace Studies is appointing a Student Support Assistant to
work with targeted, under-achieving students.
� Languages and European Studies is offering a student
support scheme for new entrants in basic grammatical skills.
� The School of Management has recruited a Learning
Support Officer to develop dedicated support sessions in
areas such as group work, presentations and essay writing.
� Archaeological Sciences is providing academic and study
skills for first-year students. They are developing a
computer-based package to support the teaching of
numerical and statistical methods. They are also to provide
group workshops and individual support sessions for
statistics and numeracy skills.
� Physiotherapy has put in place an academic bridging unit to
offer study skill sessions to year-one students, and a clinical
bridging unit to prepare year-two students for their first
clinical placements.
� Informatics is organising a series of workshops entitled
‘Writing for Professional Purposes’ to help students develop
their writing skills.
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ACHIEVING STUDENT DIVERSITY
� Life Sciences is appointing a post to analyse admission
characteristics and identify learners who may be likely to
under-perform. Both open and targeted support will be
offered to learners. A detailed analysis of the underlying
factors relating to progression will be produced.
The work will be continued and expanded during 2003-04
and amended as lessons are learnt. The University is crucially
committed to student success and in the light of the changing
nature of the University student population there is a policy
objective to support student success.
The University, although performing well in completion rates,
is far from complacent with its retention rate and it has now
agreed that the new retention allocation for 2003-04 will be
distributed to Schools on both a strategic and a formulaic
basis dependent on the prior educational attainment level of
new students. This is because there is significant evidence to
demonstrate that additional investment in the early years of
the student experience has major impact on retention,
progression and achievement.
student success strategyThe University has established a Student Success Task Group,
which will develop an overreaching Student Success Policy
Framework to be approved in the autumn of 2003 in order
that School plans developed in February 2004 take account of
the resource implications. It is envisaged that the University
Student Success Policy Framework will recognise the diversity
within the institution and seek to develop School Plans that
are consistent with the framework.
progress filesAn audit of key skills has been completed during the year and
a report produced. A three-step method has been established:
mapping skills to the curriculum, identifying assessment
opportunities and then planning the opportunity to evidence
this. During the forthcoming year an institutional framework
for developing progress files will be agreed. The emphasis will
be on students being able to evidence transferable skills.
career management and employabilityCareer Choice ModulesFour courses in the University now run Career Development
modules as core modules, and others offer them as electives,
recruiting a growing number of students. The University has
recognised such a need for preparing students for future
employment that a further module has been developed at
Level 2 which aims to develop self-employment and enterprise
skills.
Impact ProjectImpact is a positive action project, which supports the
employability of minority ethnic students through a
programme of suitably tailored, enhanced guidance and career
development learning opportunities.
The model has been so successful that a new contract has
been secured with Yorkshire Forward until March 2005. The
project has been extended in partnership with two South
Yorkshire Universities and we now have a project team of three
Impact Officers plus a Project Assistant. Targets set by
Yorkshire Forward for the first year of the new funding have
been exceeded.
8. STAFF DEVELOPMENT
excellence plus seminarsSignificant progress has also been made with linking activity
to other university strategies, in particular the Learning and
Teaching Strategy. A mini-conference was held in June,
organised by the ‘Excellence Plus’ initiative of the Learning
and Teaching Strategy which addressed all aspects of the
widening participation agenda, and was well attended from
staff across the University. The ‘Excellence Plus’ seminar
programme for 2003-04 will include an increased number of
topics around national and local widening participation issues,
and will continue the process of dissemination and embedding
best practice.
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9. WORK-BASED LEARNING
foundation degreesFoundation Degrees were introduced by the Government in
2001. They are vocationally orientated degrees, characterised
by employer involvement in the design and delivery. A key
aspect is flexible delivery and the option for students to
progress to either a named Honours degree or further
professional qualifications. Entry onto a Foundation Degree is
equally flexible with no pre-defined entry requirements,
enabling potential students the opportunity to prove their
abilities without necessarily having the traditional higher
education entry qualifications.
Over the year 2002-03, the Foundation Degree in Health and
Social Care, in collaboration with Bradford College, recruited
twenty-five students. The University is developing a new suite
of Foundation Degrees over the coming year, including
Foundation Degrees in Community Justice, Education and
Training Policy, Community Regeneration and Development,
Training and Development, and Engineering Technology.
‘working by degrees’The University is hosting a Learning Partnership project,
‘Working by Degrees’ that is seeking to increase the numbers
of people entering HE from work-based learning routes. For
many people, work-based learning or a vocational education
route helps to raise their aspirations. The role of the project is
to identify these individuals and provide a way for them to
access HE. The project will work with work-based learning
providers and HEIs to establish agreed local progression routes
to ensure sustainable progression from work-based learning.
10. NEXT STEPS
The University is pleased with its progress in achieving
widening participation targets during 2002 -03 and is already
making significant strides towards targets in the new academic
year. Current work in the field is expanding rapidly across the
whole institution as new projects and ideas are developed. The
University is responding proactively to the changing nature of
the student body, where there is still much work to be done,
but it is embracing the challenge.
Produced by Marketing and Corporate Communications, University of Bradford
Printed Production: Inprint and Design, University of Bradford 654/1,000/03/2004
The contents of this publication represent the intentions of the University at the time of printing. The University reserves the
right to alter or withdraw courses, services and facilities without notice and to change Ordinances, Regulations, fees and
charges at any time. Students should enquire as to the up-to-date position when they need to know this. Admittance to the
University is subject to the requirement that the student will comply with the University's registration procedures and will
duly observe the Charter and Statutes and the Ordinances and Regulations of the University from time to time in force.[ ]
This leaflet is available on request in Braille, large print and onaudio tape or disk from the Disability Office Tel: 01274 233739
THE UNIVERSITY OF BRADFORD – CONFRONTING INEQUALITY: CELEBRATING DIVERSITY
The University has a comprehensive policy on equal opportunities, and is committed to
promoting and supporting it across all aspects of University activity.
FURTHER INFORMATIONFor further information on any of the activities described, please contact:
Nadira MirzaHead of Access and Widening Participation TeamTel: 01274 235364Email: n.s.mirza@bradford.ac.uk
Anne WestonWidening Participation Development OfficerTel: 01274 233211Email: a.c.weston@bradford.ac.uk
[ ]
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