ACCESS
Project Overview
Background
Promoting wider and more equitable access to higher education is a key strategic objective of Government and higher education institutions alike. This IUA-led project, involving the seven universities and DIT, seeks to address both strategic and operational challenges associated with increasing the numbers of students from under-represented groups entering higher education.
The primary focus of the project is to reform and mainstream two supplementary admissions routes, namely the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) and Supplementary Admissions Route- Students with a Disability. Following a pilot year in which current schemes were reviewed and new elements tested, the project now enters a 2-year implementation phase.
There is a wider national context that merits comment at this point. Mid 2008 the Minister for Education and Science announced the establishment of a high level group to formulate a national strategy on higher education. This presents an opportunity to the university sector to articulate well-worked plans for a national scheme, which will target larger numbers from the target groups.
In June 2008 the HEA-National Access Office launched the National Action Plan for Access, setting-out ambitious targets and equity of access measures for the next 5 years. The important role that targeted admissions schemes play is recognised in the Action Plan and the HEA has pledged its support.
The first tranche of Equal Access Data has been gathered by HEIs from all 2007 entrants and is available to the HEA for analysis and review. The possibility of collecting this data through the CAO from all undergraduate applicants is under active consideration by the HEA and the higher education institutions. Such a proposal aligns well with the data collection requirements of the supplementary admissions schemes. Moreover the depth and robustness of data gathered on applicants’ backgrounds would be significantly enhanced. This in turn should inform the allocation of premium access funding through the Recurrent Grant Resource Allocation Model (RGRAM).
Scope of the Project
Building on the outputs from IUA-SIF 1 Project (Widening the base for High Quality Student Recruitment), this SIF 2 project will construct and implement nationally-agreed indicators of educational disadvantage, which can then be utilised to accurately direct pre-entry, admission and post-entry activities at those students and communities most marginalised in the context of access to HE. The project also seeks to raise public debate and awareness about the benefits to society as a whole, of a more equitable system of admission in higher education. This project involves the seven universities and Dublin Institute of Technology, and its infrastructure and outcomes may be extended to other HEA-funded institutions.
Project Objectives
- Significantly increase the proportion of students from under-represented socio-economic groups and students with a disability entering higher education, particularly into the high-point programmes.
- Construct and implement nationally agreed indicators of educational disadvantage (a) on the grounds of socio-economic and cultural background and (b) on the grounds of a disability.
- Significantly improve the quality and analysis of data available on participation (and non-participation) in higher education by under-represented group, from the point of college application to graduation.
- Raise awareness of access objectives and opportunities nationally, through a combination of information dissemination, targeted training and public profile.
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