OFFA and HEFCE call for new evidence to inform national access strategy

The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) have today published a call for evidence to help inform the national strategy for access and student success. The call seeks to draw on the considerable experience of universities, further education colleges, schools and other interested organisations as the national strategy is developed. 

OFFA and HEFCE have already received a substantial amount of useful information on how best to promote access to higher education, following a call for evidence in November 2012. Today’s call builds on this and seeks further information on a range of topics, including examples of how universities are helping students progress to employment or postgraduate study. Further information is available in the guidance.   

The Director of Fair Access, Professor Les Ebdon, said: 

“It is vital that the national strategy is a truly collaborative piece of work which reflects the experience and knowledge of everyone involved in promoting fair access and student success. This is an opportunity to share ideas which are demonstrably successful, and I would certainly urge all organisations who are already working so hard to widen access to higher education to respond to this important call for evidence.”

ENDS

For further information, contact Zita Adamson, OFFA Communications Manager (0117 931 7272), or Sean Beynon, OFFA Press and Communications Adviser (0117 931 7022), or email press@offa.org.uk

Notes to editors

1. The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) is an independent, non-departmental public body established under the Higher Education Act 2004 to help promote and safeguard fair access to higher education. The main way we do this is by approving and monitoring ‘access agreements’. All English universities and colleges offering both full-time and part-time undergraduate higher education courses must have an access agreement with us in order to charge higher fees. Access agreements set out the fees an institution wishes to charge and the access measures they will put in place to sustain or improve access and student retention. Access measures include outreach (e.g. summer schools, mentoring, after-school tuition, links with schools and colleges in disadvantaged areas and activities to improve retention and success), and financial support such as bursaries and scholarships.
2. For more about OFFA, please see our website www.offa.org.uk, particularly the Quick Facts and FAQ in the Press section.
3. OFFA and HEFCE are working with higher education organisations and providers to develop a national strategy for access and student success. This follows a request from ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in May 2012 (see Correspondence between BIS Ministers, OFFA and HEFCE in late 2012).
4. OFFA and HEFCE have submitted an interim report to BIS, with the full strategy to be submitted to Ministers in September.
5. To discuss the questions in the call for evidence or the wider national strategy, join the LinkedIn discussion group.